Porsche details plans for new N.A. headquarters in Atlanta

Porsche AG unveiled the final design for its new North American headquarters in Atlanta and it pays homage to the automaker's racing and performance roots.

The automaker expects to break ground early next year on the new center in Atlanta, which will consolidate the company's North American administration, technical, training and other operations.

It will house about 400 employees when it opens in Fall 2013.Porsche said last May it would build the new North American headquarters in Atlanta, where it has maintained a presence for 13 years.

Porsche's new North America headquarters will be built on the site of a former Ford Motor Co. assembly plant near Atlanta's international airport and will also feature a customer and driver experience center.

The center -- a major component of Porsche's marketing outreach -- includes a test track, restaurant, and store with Porsche-branded merchandise.

Porsche announced this week it will open a second customer experience center in North America in Carson, Calif., between Los Angeles International and Long Beach airports. The 53-acre facility and road handling course will be one of five such sites worldwide.

Porsche will break ground on the L.A. center next summer.

The Los Angeles area is Porsche's largest U.S. market, followed by New York, Miami/Fort Lauderdale, San Francisco and Chicago.

Porsche's U.S. sales are up 23 percent this year through October to 24,934. The automaker's U.S. sales peaked at 34,693 units in 2007.

Major draw

Porsche is investing more than $100 million in the new California facility and Atlanta project.

The new North American headquarters is the centerpiece of a giant commercial development -- Aerotropolis Atlanta -- adjacent to a new international terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport.

Porsche officials are counting on the new headquarters to provide a strong foundation for continued growth in the automaker's largest market worldwide.

It was designed to become a must-see destination for owners, dealers, enthusiasts and other visitors. It is also expected to serve as a major recruiting tool for Porsche.

"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," Detlev von Platen, CEO of Porsche Cars North America, said in a statement.

"The design must allow employees and visitors to see, hear, feel and experience both the emotional and practical benefits of the Porsche brand, from the moment they first see the building."

Airport officials expect the new international terminal to draw 21 million visitors annually by 2015. Upon approach or takeoff from the airport, they are expected to receive a bird's-eye view of the 26.44-acre Porsche headquarters.

Porsche says the track and customer center will be located within a two-hour flight for 80 percent of the U.S. population.

Integrated test track

The Atlanta headquarters is being designed by HOK Associates, an architectural firm that has overseen notable airport, stadium and museum projects worldwide, including the new Yankee Stadium, the National Air and Space Museum in Virginia, and the new Doha International Airport set to open next year in Qatar.

Among the building's unique features: Architects have integrated the test track into the lower levels of the office building. The courtyard is shaped like the Porsche shield.

"We have designed a building with the same high-energy feel and performance as Porsche automobiles," Todd Bertsch, the vice president and design director of HOK Atlanta, said in a statement.

"We want to create a high-performing, low energy consuming building while emphasizing a superior customer experience."