HOK has been selected to design Porsche Cars North America’s new headquarters in Atlanta, following an intense design competition. This innovative development includes a contemporary workplace, a Technical Service and Training Center, and a Customer and Driver Experience Center with an integrated road handling track. The nearly 200,000-square-foot complex will accommodate up to 400 employees under one roof on a high-profile, 26-acre Aerotropolis site near the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The headquarters will provide Porsche a strong foundation for continued growth in its largest market worldwide.

“Our vision for our new U.S. corporate home is to create a bold and energizing environment where the physical elements are as memorable and moving as the Porsche driving and ownership experience,” said Detlev von Platen, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America. “HOK has perfectly interpreted this vision into a dynamic design that is as emotionally charged as Porsche automobiles.”

“Our design goal was to capture the essence of the Porsche brand and performance,” said Todd Bertsch, director of design at HOK in Atlanta. “We have designed a movement-filled building with the same high-energy feel and performance as Porsche automobiles. By integrating the track into the lower levels of the office building and weaving in subtle motorsport-related cues, we can immerse employees, dealers and customers in the Porsche experience.”

HOK’s design will create a single home for the Porsche North America family by bringing together office, training and driving functions while creating a unified brand experience. An interior “Main Street” and courtyard area showcasing the vehicles will function as the heart of the facility. From this courtyard space, customers and employees will be able to interact while watching the action on the track below.

“We’re delighted to work with a client like Porsche,” said Bertsch. “Its design philosophy and culture are very similar to HOK’s. We each emphasize integrity, simple elegance and high performance. We are approaching the design of Porsche’s North American headquarters much like they approach the design of their automobiles. We want to create a high-performing, low energy consuming building while emphasizing a superior customer experience.”

Reflecting Porsche’s commitment to the environment, HOK is designing a highly sustainable building and targeting a minimum of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification. Energy conservation measures include fine-tuning the building orientation and creating a highly efficient building envelope. The team will explore opportunities for natural ventilation and on-site energy generation and green roofs that reduce the heat island effect and filter rainwater before it returns to Atlanta’s water system.

Employees will enjoy a contemporary light-filled workplace that promotes collaboration and inspires creativity. Central café areas, team rooms and huddle spaces will support Porsche’s cooperative, transparent culture.

HOK’s integrated design services for the project include architecture, interior design, workplace strategy, sustainable design, high-performance building engineering, environmental graphics and landscape architecture.

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga., is the exclusive U.S. importer of Porsche sports cars, the Cayenne SUV and Panamera sport sedan. Established in 1984, it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Porsche AG, which is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, and employs approximately 220 people who provide parts, service, marketing and training for 196 dealers. They, in turn, work to provide Porsche customers with a best-in-class experience that is in keeping with the brand’s 63-year history and leadership in the advancement of vehicle performance, safety and efficiency. At the core of this success is Porsche’s proud racing heritage that boasts some 30,000 motorsport wins to date.

HOK is a global architectural firm that provides planning and design solutions for high performance, sustainable buildings and communities. Through its collaborative network of 25 offices worldwide, the firm delivers design excellence and innovation to clients globally. Founded in 1955, HOK’s expertise includes architecture, engineering, interiors, strategic facility planning, consulting, lighting, graphics, and construction services. In 2011, DesignIntelligence ranked HOK as the No. 1 role model for sustainable and high performance design.

HOK projects include the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, Georgia; the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida; King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia; and the New Doha International Airport in Qatar.

Source: PR WEB