Hyundai Motor America Working On A $200 Million Corporate Headquarters
Another milestone was reached today in the construction of Hyundai Motor America’s new $200 million US corporate headquarters.
The main office tower received finishing exterior touches as the final perimeter panels of exterior glass were installed.
The new headquarters in Fountain Valley, California is the single biggest investment in an office building in the US that Hyundai has ever made.
Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik, said that this current milestone brings the company one step closer to realizing their vision for the future. He said that the new office building woule be a visual representation of the innovation and creativity of the automaker.
The building is the brainchild of architectural firm Gensler who have given the project a sleek, modern design with a hint of classic styling.
The building will feature floating glass floors on a precast concrete base. All of the exterior perimeter glass panels have been installed, save for in the areas where temporary construction elevators are located.
The exterior glass is a high-performance glass curtain that is comprised of 900 individual panels and somewhat goes against the expected grain.
Hyundai has opted to forego ordinary refelctive glass in favor of custom design insulated panels that deliver energy efficiency, not to mention a high level of clarity whether voewed from the inside or out.
Each of the glass planels is amde up of a series of glass layers, performance coatings, and a ceramic composition ‘frit,’ with the goal being to provide solar, light, and acoustic benefits.
White frit ‘speed lines’ on the glass provide solar shading that reduces heat. A clear view and maximum daylight penetration come courtesy of low-iron, clear glass substrates found in the panels.
The overall goal with the energy efficient glass wall is for Hyundai to achieve gold-level LEED-certification for their new building.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is an internationally renowned green building certification process designed to assess the sustainability in the design, construction, and operations of a building.
The new building will be a spacious 500,000 gross sq. Ft., and will include a 6-story tower that connects to a single-story technical services facility. It will also feature a free-standing parking structure.
The glass panels are expected to be one of the focal points of the building, but visitors will also be impressed by the 2-story high entrance that leads to an open air public courtyard in the center of the building.
The 2-story lobby will be home to a number of different Hyundai vehicles, with the structure clearly visible from the 405 Freeway.
Construction is expected to be completed before the end of 2013.
The Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation studied the project and concluded that from demolition to completed construction, more than 1,530 jobs would be generated, which would lead to millions of dollars in related economic activity.
