When Bridgestone Americas Inc. designed its new tech center in Akron, Ohio, the company had a lot to live up to. After all, the site has been a center of innovation for more than a century, ever since Harvey S. Firestone founded the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company there in 1900. The company’s iconic headquarters and tech center was built in 1911 and became part of Bridgestone Corporation when it purchased the company in 1988. But having the tech center within the 100-year-old manufacturing facility was proving inefficient, and it was time to find the tech center a new home. The company wanted to consolidate its computer system, product development lab, and compound development operations in a stand-alone building that would house 450 teammates.
The budget, schedule and design goals for the new building were ambitious. The company broke ground on the $100-million project in April 2010 and held the dedication ceremony for the completed project in April 2012. Besides being the ideal site for the research and development team, the building had to meet several other goals, including reducing energy usage and employing green building materials and practices. It also had another purpose: to serve as a showcase for Firestone Building Products’ systems. Firestone products were used on the roof and throughout the building envelope to meet green goals and embody the company’s commitment to achieve a watertight, durable, integrated building envelope.