Nissan Tightens Its Design Belt Amid Global Restructuring
Once celebrated for bold lines and distinctive character, Nissan is now streamlining its design empire. To some, it smacks of cost-cutting under pressure; to others, it looks like a calculated reset meant to sharpen focus and rein in spending. The truth, as ever, lies somewhere in between.
Nissan has announced a sweeping shake-up of its design operations, restructuring the way future models will be conceived. The move includes the complete closure of two studios, one in the United States and another in Brazil, along with staff reductions in both the United Kingdom and Japan. According to Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan’s global design chief, the reorganization is intended to make the company more agile in responding to market shifts while allocating resources more efficiently.
Going forward, the bulk of exterior and interior design work will be concentrated in three core hubs: Los Angeles, London and Shanghai. Effectively, Nissan is dividing the world into three key regions, giving each studio responsibility for monitoring local trends and tailoring design sensibilities to regional tastes.
Tokyo will retain a smaller, more experimental outpost focused on forward-looking projects, while Atsugi will remain Nissan’s central command, orchestrating global coordination and acting as the creative compass. Management believes this structure will foster closer collaboration across continents and yield designs that are sharper and more relevant. The company aims to complete the transition before year’s end.
This design shake-up does not stand alone. It forms part of the broader “Re: Nissan” strategy, unveiled earlier this year, which targets billions in cost savings over the next few years. Cuts will extend well beyond design, encompassing production facilities and headcount reductions across the board.
