One of the world’s leading battery makers officially cut the ribbon this week on a $56-million, jobs-producing investment into research and development at the cusp of Georgia Tech.

Spread across four stories where English Avenue meets Midtown, Duracell’s Global Innovation Center for Research and Development marks a key addition for Science Square, an 18-acre, mixed-use district expected to produce 500 homes, retail, and nearly 2 million square feet of lab and office space across multiple phases. 

Duracell’s new 101 Nerem St. NW digs, as designed by Perkins&Will, bring 120 new high-tech jobs to Atlanta’s Westside. The 83,000-square-foot facility combines engineers, scientists, and cross-functional teams under one roof. 

Duracell's new facilities include "hospitality-inspired gathering areas, outdoor amenities, biophilic elements, and comfortable collaboration spaces" for employees, per Perkins&Will designers. Courtesy of Perkins&Will; photo by Garey Gomez

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, center, at this week's Science Square ribbon-cutting for Duracell's four-level offices and labs, with Midtown's skyline as a backdrop. Courtesy of Duracell

Punctuated by a central stair meant to resemble a battery, the cutting-edge facility is designed to serve as Duracell’s “primary engine” for next-generation technology, leading the company’s research-and-development pipeline from “initial concept to full commercialization,” per officials. 

It will also serve to bridge Duracell’s corporate functions with academic research at the adjacent campus, while linking to the company’s manufacturing operations in LaGrange and distribution center in Fairburn.

“Beyond the surface-level economic impact,” reads a Perkins&Will description provided to Urbanize Atlanta, “the project has a beautiful design story, where space utilization, employee wellness, and branding were pivotal in transitioning the iconic battery manufacturer from the middle of a suburban park to a lease within a 13-story building at the heart of Atlanta’s rising innovation district.”

The signature stair at Duracell's new Science Square home "serves as a symbolic centerpiece, portraying a battery that connects researchers across levels," according to Perkins&Will officials. Courtesy of Perkins&Will; photo by Garey Gomez

Duracell’s equipment and programming required calculated fine-tuning of all structural, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems, per designers. Courtesy of Perkins&Will; photo by Garey Gomez

The Science Square location, according to Duracell chief technology officer Liben Hailu, “allows us to tap into a rich pipeline of diverse talent coming from Georgia Tech and neighboring research institutions… We look forward to welcoming the next generation of scientists and engineers.” 

Duracell announced its lease in March last year at the Science Square Labs tower developed by Trammell Crow Company in partnership with Georgia Advanced Technology Ventures, a Georgia Tech affiliate.

The fit-out, described as “complex,” was completed by a team that included AHA Consulting Engineers, Walter P Moore, and Brasfield & Gorrie, in addition to Perkins&Will.

In the gallery above, find more context and a closer look at Duracell’s new multi-story Atlanta digs. 

The Science Square Labs building's north face today. Photos by Garey Gomez; courtesy of Trammell Crow Company

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