Irvine epicenter of auto design
Irvine City News staff
Some of the biggest and most creative carmakers have design studios here
SoCal residents spend a lot of time on the freeways. So the lack of interesting buildings on daily commute routes has always been a bit irksome. Most architects prefer to put the parking garages as the center of attention it seems, rather than the orienting the more aesthetic sides of their creation so that many more will be able to enjoy it.
There are notable exceptions, however, of buildings built in recent years that are striking, and set in plain view of commuters on the 5 and 405 Freeways. And perhaps it’s not surprising that the thoughtful owners of those structures are in the business of automobile design, since part of their mission is to keep we drivers top of mind.
Driving near Jamboree Blvd. on the 5, it’s hard to miss the cool corporate headquarters of KIA Motors America. It is the marketing and distribution arm of KIA Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. The $85 million building, along with the $34 million design center next door, was designed by SOM architects, and won the Award of Excellence from the OC chapter of American Institute of Architects (AIAOC).
And driving north of Irvine on the 405, the $200 million Hyundai headquarters in Fountain Valley is perhaps even more impressive. Interestingly, when the building debuted last year, the Hyundai Design and Technical Center remained in Irvine. The 90,000-square-foot, $30 million state-of-the-art facility is where Hyundai automobile designers, engineers, model-makers and technicians design cars for the North American market.
One of the Hyundai design teams most recent high-profile projects is the Santa Cruz, a four-door, SUV-based pickup with an extendable bed and seating for five. The concept vehicle made the rounds of the auto shows last year, and is now reportedly going into production. If it’s a success, it will be a big win for the Irvine-based designers, who based the design on the type of OC urban outdoorsman, like surfers, mountain bikers and paddleboarders who don’t need a full-size pickup truck.
The KIA designers can claim the creation of the Borrego SUV, the Koup, Kue and Soul concept cars as among the company’s signature designs. KIA Motors American is also a key philanthropic partner, donating vehicles to the Irvine Police Department and Laguna’s Pacific Mammal Center.
The company’s philanthropic partnering include B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible and Keep Everyone Safe), a nonprofit organization that provides free, hands-on defensive driving workshops in cities nationwide, and Hire Heroes USA, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to providing individualized career coaching services to help veterans transform their military service into civilian success.
Hyundai and KIA are not the only auto companies with a strong presence in Irvine, of course, nor with connections to intriguing Irvine architecture. Mazda North American Operations has had a presence in SoCal since 1970, and the company’s U.S. headquarters has been in Irvine since 1987. Located in the Spectrum, it’s the birthplace of the MX-5 Miata, among other designs.
Mazda will remain in Irvine, with its announced move to what will likely emerge as one of the city’s most important pieces of architecture, the 200 Spectrum Center tower. Mazda will reportedly take over five floors and more than 100,000 square feet of what is now the tallest building in Orange County when it moves next February.
Ford Motor Co.’s regional headquarters and design center is also located in Irvine. It’s in the low-rise wing of the Taco Bell building. Many may remember when the entire structure was the North American headquarters of the Premiere Automotive Group. The $68-million headquarters opened in 2001 and was the first OC building to qualify for LEED’s green building classification.
Each floor of the building was dedicated to a different member of Ford’s luxury Premiere Auto Group, even to the point of lobbies designed to mimic Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin and Lincoln Mercury autos.
When the Premiere Automotive Group experiment cratered in the mid 2000s, Ford’s West Coast design studio remained, and helped create cars like the Ford Flex, Lincoln MKX and the Lincoln C concept car.
Irvine is a key creative center of auto design, as is Orange County and greater SoCal. Toyota’s Calty Design Research is in Newport Beach, for example.
But why?
The weather doesn’t hurt—we treat our cars well, what with the year around sunshine. And the educated workforce helps, including graduates of the SoCal-based Art Center of College and Design’s auto design program. But experts and insiders point to the spirit of innovation and creative culture that’s part of the local ethos as a key reason designers love to live and work in Irvine.
There are notable exceptions, however, of buildings built in recent years that are striking, and set in plain view of commuters on the 5 and 405 Freeways. And perhaps it’s not surprising that the thoughtful owners of those structures are in the business of automobile design, since part of their mission is to keep we drivers top of mind.
Driving near Jamboree Blvd. on the 5, it’s hard to miss the cool corporate headquarters of KIA Motors America. It is the marketing and distribution arm of KIA Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. The $85 million building, along with the $34 million design center next door, was designed by SOM architects, and won the Award of Excellence from the OC chapter of American Institute of Architects (AIAOC).
And driving north of Irvine on the 405, the $200 million Hyundai headquarters in Fountain Valley is perhaps even more impressive. Interestingly, when the building debuted last year, the Hyundai Design and Technical Center remained in Irvine. The 90,000-square-foot, $30 million state-of-the-art facility is where Hyundai automobile designers, engineers, model-makers and technicians design cars for the North American market.
One of the Hyundai design teams most recent high-profile projects is the Santa Cruz, a four-door, SUV-based pickup with an extendable bed and seating for five. The concept vehicle made the rounds of the auto shows last year, and is now reportedly going into production. If it’s a success, it will be a big win for the Irvine-based designers, who based the design on the type of OC urban outdoorsman, like surfers, mountain bikers and paddleboarders who don’t need a full-size pickup truck.
The KIA designers can claim the creation of the Borrego SUV, the Koup, Kue and Soul concept cars as among the company’s signature designs. KIA Motors American is also a key philanthropic partner, donating vehicles to the Irvine Police Department and Laguna’s Pacific Mammal Center.
The company’s philanthropic partnering include B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible and Keep Everyone Safe), a nonprofit organization that provides free, hands-on defensive driving workshops in cities nationwide, and Hire Heroes USA, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to providing individualized career coaching services to help veterans transform their military service into civilian success.
Hyundai and KIA are not the only auto companies with a strong presence in Irvine, of course, nor with connections to intriguing Irvine architecture. Mazda North American Operations has had a presence in SoCal since 1970, and the company’s U.S. headquarters has been in Irvine since 1987. Located in the Spectrum, it’s the birthplace of the MX-5 Miata, among other designs.
Mazda will remain in Irvine, with its announced move to what will likely emerge as one of the city’s most important pieces of architecture, the 200 Spectrum Center tower. Mazda will reportedly take over five floors and more than 100,000 square feet of what is now the tallest building in Orange County when it moves next February.
Ford Motor Co.’s regional headquarters and design center is also located in Irvine. It’s in the low-rise wing of the Taco Bell building. Many may remember when the entire structure was the North American headquarters of the Premiere Automotive Group. The $68-million headquarters opened in 2001 and was the first OC building to qualify for LEED’s green building classification.
Each floor of the building was dedicated to a different member of Ford’s luxury Premiere Auto Group, even to the point of lobbies designed to mimic Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin and Lincoln Mercury autos.
When the Premiere Automotive Group experiment cratered in the mid 2000s, Ford’s West Coast design studio remained, and helped create cars like the Ford Flex, Lincoln MKX and the Lincoln C concept car.
Irvine is a key creative center of auto design, as is Orange County and greater SoCal. Toyota’s Calty Design Research is in Newport Beach, for example.
But why?
The weather doesn’t hurt—we treat our cars well, what with the year around sunshine. And the educated workforce helps, including graduates of the SoCal-based Art Center of College and Design’s auto design program. But experts and insiders point to the spirit of innovation and creative culture that’s part of the local ethos as a key reason designers love to live and work in Irvine.
