Nissan has announced plans to establish a new design centre in London. Nissan Design Europe, which will be located in Paddington, will begin operations in January 2003. When it opens, it will be one of the six worldwide studios in Nissan’s global design network.
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The plans are for around 40 international designers, modellers and support staff to work in the new studio on the development of concepts and designs for the next generation of Nissan cars. The studio will concentrate mainly on vehicles for the European market, but will also undertake design projects for other global markets.
The new studio will be housed in the Rotunda, a former British Rail maintenance building built in the 1960s, which has fallen into disrepair and been unused since the 1980s. Nissan plans to transform the building into a specially converted, ultra-modern design studio.
Shiro Nakamura, Senior Vice President of Nissan Motor Company and the new President of Nissan Design Europe said: “The decision to establish this new European design centre shows how committed we are to design, which is now taking a leading role within Nissan.
“We wanted to give our designers a creative environment in which to work, and we feel that the location we have chosen is perfect. We chose London for its vibrancy and multi-culturalism, as well as its strength in all art mediums including fashion, art, architecture and car design.”
The plans for the renovation of the Rotunda are based around the Japanese concept of ‘wa’ meaning harmony. Designers have focused on creating harmony between European and Japanese cultures, and between the building’s heritage and the new creation.
