Warren, Michigan, USA
General Motors (GM) has appointed Ghafari Associates to develop a first-of-its-kind facility at the automaker’s Technical Center campus that will expand GM’s battery cell technology operations and accelerate the development and commercialization of longer range, more affordable EV batteries.
The Wallace Battery Cell Innovation Center is a state-of-the-art research facility located on the historic GM Global Tech Center campus planned by Eero Saarinen.
Its sculptural exterior draws inspiration from GM’s rebranding goals, while the modularity of the various façade components alludes to the scalability of the battery systems.
The project has been awarded a 2024 International Architecture Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
The Wallace Battery Cell Innovation Center’s design provides a flexible facility for the testing and logistics of EV battery cell production.
Various laboratory types and collaboration-focused office spaces support and enhance engineering innovations in EV battery cell design, manufacturing, and production.
The second-floor design is fully dedicated to flexible and adaptable mechanical space directly linked to the laboratories on the first floor.
As the various laboratory types evolve and reconfigure, the mechanical support systems above can adapt to optimize innovation accordingly.
Additionally, the site and facility are master planned and designed for strategic modular expansion, supporting growth of at least three times the initial footprint.
As the EV battery industry continues to evolve, the Innovation Center can grow and adapt to meet the needs of GM’s distinguished design and engineering team.
The original masterplan and architectural design of General Motors’ Global Tech Center was created by Eero Saarinen and his firm in the early 1950s.
The Tech Center’s success was not only a grand-scale architectural achievement but also a model in companywide collaboration performance.
Additional buildings were constructed over the years to support ever-changing automotive technology.
Ultimately, the site of the new Wallace Battery Cell Innovation Center was cleared of neglected structures with absolute intentions of using it and the adjacent land to build facilities supporting GM’s future in the EV battery industry.
The project is the innovative flagship of this endeavor from a research and development standpoint that aims to attract and retain exceptional employees and contributors to the EV evolution.
This is in part achieved through state-of-the-art laboratory and collaborative work environments.
Furthermore, the building’s intentional orientation on the site and architectural design establishes a compelling presence of modern technologies at work.
The interior planning provides a flexible first floor that includes laboratories, collaboration-focused office spaces, support, and circulation allowing for access to outdoor green terraces.
The second floor is dedicated to a modular and adaptable mechanical space serving the laboratories below; as laboratory types evolve, the mechanical systems can adapt.
“Our design is inspired by Saarinen’s use of color and materials, along with GM’s new and innovative technologies.” Joe Gonzalez, Global Director of Design.
Project: General Motors Wallace Battery Cell Innovation Center
Architects: Ghafari Associates, LLC.
Lead Architect: Joe Gonzalez
General Contractor: Barton Malow Company
Client: General Motors Sustainable Workplaces
Photographers: Jason Keen
