Nissan to open new Global Headquarters Gallery

Nissan, which opened its new global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, last weekend (coinciding with the unveiling of the automaker's new electrically-propelled Leaf), will open a new gallery dedicated to its products on August 8th. Just as German automakers BMW and Porsche have shrines dedicated to their respective brands, Nissan's new gallery will feature exhibits of its current products, classic models and cars from its racing heritage.

The new gallery - which boasts an area four times larger than the previous Nissan gallery in the company's former headquarters in Higashi Ginza - occupies 4000m2 of space on the first floor of the new building. More than 30 vehicles are displayed within four themed 'zones': an area for Japanese-market products, including classic models and racing cars; a section dedicated to Nissan and Infiniti models that are sold globally, including concept cars that have debuted at international motor shows; an area showcasing the company's corporate vision and various activities, including Nissan's technological innovations and social responsibility efforts towards a sustainable future; and a heritage corridor with interactive videos and images spanning the automaker's history since 1933, when the company was founded. Other areas include a boutique shop, where visitors can purchase a variety of Nissan and NISMO branded merchandise, and a café offering a view of Yokohama bay.

Designed by Yoshio Taniguchi, the new 80,000m2 headquarters - which comprises 22 above-ground and two underground floors - brings executives closer to the company's operations in Japan's Kanagawa prefecture, where Nissan's design studio and global R&D center is located. A nod towards the automaker's corporate sustainability efforts, the newly constructed edifice features a multitude of modern architectural technologies, including a rain and wastewater recycling system and automatically-operated external window louvers to control interior temperatures.
 
The official inauguration of the gallery is scheduled on August 8th from 10:00am. To celebrate its opening, the first 2000 visitors will receive a commemorative souvenir. The gallery can be accessed from Shin-Takashima Station on the Minatomirai line or Yokohama Station, which will be linked via the recently built 'Hama Mirai Walk' with the 'Nissan Walk', a bridge that runs through the second floor of the gallery and which will be used daily by more than 130,000 people cutting through the new headquarters towards Minatomirai.

By Eric Gallina