The Kia Motors America, Inc. Research and Development Project is a pair of two-story buildings, containing office and technical functions, joined by a third level glazed "bridge" for executive and administrative offices. The bridge floats above a gracious, top-lit automotive reception gallery. A series of 27-foot-high pivoting glass doors connect the gallery directly with the south facing entry plaza and a large multi-purpose room, creating a flexible indoor-outdoor environment for special events that dramatically showcases product offerings.

Project Facts

Completion Year: 2007
Site Area: 15.70 acres
Project Area: 230,000 ft²
Building Height: 50 ft
Number of Stories: 3

Project Awards

2009 • Building Owners and Managers Association: Orange County Chapter • Outstanding Building of the Year
2009 • Chicago Athenaeum • International Architecture Award
2008 • AIA - Orange County • Award of Excellence

Designed to push the potential of tilt-up construction, The Kia Motors America, Inc. Research and Development Project is a simple and efficient structure that provides generous spaces for showcasing Kia’s products while accommodating a diverse array of uses on the campus. The sizeable parking requirement has been pushed to the outer edges of the site and screened by trees, creating a pair of dignified outdoor spaces, including a reflecting pool facing Interstate 5 to the north and an amphitheater and palm grove that frame a gracious, south facing entry plaza. The complex is oriented to be highly visible to passing highway motorists.