BusinessTN

Gresham, Smith and Partners wasted no time helping Nissan into the neighborhood. A mere month after Nissan North America announced its plans to move its headquarters and 1,500 employees from Los Angles to Franklin, Tenn., the Nashville-based architecture firm was already at work on the design of a 10-story, 400,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art building.

The quick response was necessary to meet Nissan's timetable, but it was also meant to send a message to all of corporate America that the Nashville area can accommodate the demands of big business and is a viable option for companies looking to relocate. "We've identified for ourselves as a community that we want to be thought of that way, and having Nissan puts a good exclamation point on it," says James Bearden, Gresham's CEO. "It's not just a dream. We're here to back it up with proof."

Using advanced Building Information Model (BIM) technology, the firm skipped the traditional step of two-dimension blueprints, instead building a 3D digital model that allowed architects to examine the design alongside builders before breaking ground on the 50-acre site, which opened this summer. The $100 million structure also features the most advanced collection of sustainable features found on any building in Middle Tennessee, including a partial green roof of planted sedums to help with water run-off and energy costs; a daylight harvesting system to adjust lighting based on available daylight; sun screens that cut down on the amount of light entering the building; and an advanced floor cooling system that each employee can control at his or her work station.