Transitioning Tennessee’s Workplace Strategy

Over the past few decades, Tennessee’s state workplaces evolved without a formal strategy, creating inefficiencies in both space utilization and employee synergies. Gresham Smith was brought on to lead the State through a workplace strategy pilot project for its new purchasing organization with a goal of creating an engaging, efficient environment that expressed the State’s desired culture that would also serve as a future workplace prototype for all State agencies. Due to the pilot’s success, Gresham Smith was also asked to partner with the State on a significant real estate consolidation effort. The project, named “Transforming Tennessee for Tomorrow” or “T3,” transitioned more than one million square feet of leased space into a more efficient use of space (within State-owned facilities) by following the strategies established during the pilot.

Gresham Smith worked closely with the State’s key leadership to develop a comprehensive workplace strategy including forward-thinking design solutions that supported cost savings and a more efficient use of spaces and materials. Formerly dark, isolated workspaces are now more open, collaborative and inviting. Floors were reorganized and offices strategically located to encourage continuous circulation of the perimeter of each building floor. In addition, we provided planning, programming, design, and procurement assistance for new standard interior wayfinding and identification signage as well as custom signage and branding graphics for all of the T3 buildings. The result is a modern, consistent, and highly effective branded graphics and wayfinding program that serves State employees and customers alike. We also designed a large-scale artwork program for all T3 spaces, using photographs from the state archives, reproduced in large formats and installed throughout all T3 floors.