Hyundai Motor America's New Headquarters Is One Step Closer To Completion

As Exterior Glass Curtain Wall Goes Up, Project Continues to Bring Jobs, Economic Stimulus to Orange County

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Apr 18, 2013, 02:59 ET

COSTA MESA, Calif., April 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor America approached another milestone today on its way to completing a new $200 million U.S. corporate headquarters, as final perimeter panels of exterior glass were undergoing installation on the project's main office tower. Currently under construction in Fountain Valley, California, the new headquarters project represents the largest investment in an office building ever made in the U.S. by Hyundai Motor Company.

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"This milestone brings us one step closer to realizing our vision for the future," said Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik. "Our new national headquarters will be an expressively visual representation of Hyundai's innovation and creativity."

Designed by global architectural firm Gensler, the building is sleek and modern, yet classic in its design, with translucent glass office floors floating over a precast concrete base. All exterior perimeter glass panels are now in place, except where temporary construction elevators are needed on the building's west side. The general contractor for the project is Hyundai Amco America, Inc.

The high-performance exterior glass curtain wall system is comprised of 900 panels and challenges conventional wisdom. Rather than using ordinary reflective glass, Hyundai is using custom-designed large insulated glass (IGU) 5' x 10' panels that are specially glazed to provide optimal energy efficiency, as well as exceptional visual clarity from both inside and outside the building.

Each curtain wall glass panel is comprised of a series of glass layers, performance coatings and a ceramic composition "frit," all of which have been calibrated to provide significant solar, light and acoustic benefits. White frit "speed lines" on the glass reduce heat by providing solar shading. Along with low-iron, clear glass substrates in the panels, this provides building occupants with a clear view and maximizes daylight penetration.

The glass curtain wall's energy-efficient design is part Hyundai's broader goal to achieve gold-level LEED-certification for its new headquarters. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is an internationally recognized green building certification process assessing the sustainability of a building's design, construction and operations.

The new building will be approximately 500,000 gross sq. ft., including a six-story tower connected to a one-story, technical services facility. A free-standing parking structure will also be part of the campus. In addition to the glass panel exterior, another key focal point of the building will be its impressive two-story high entrance, which leads to an open-to-the sky public courtyard in the building's center. A two-story lobby will feature Hyundai vehicles and be visible from the 405 Freeway side of the new structure.

Construction of the new building is expected to be completed by the end of 2013. An initial study of the project by the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation projected that demolition and construction involved with the new headquarters project would generate 1,530 direct and indirect jobs, and millions of dollars in related economic activity.

ABOUT HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 820 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle limited warranty, Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance. On May 16, 2013, Hyundai Assurance will be expanded to include Assurance Connected Care. Assurance Connected Care provides Hyundai owners with proactive safety and car care services made possible by the Hyundai Blue Link telematics platform standard for three years. These services include Automatic Collision Notification, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Vehicle Diagnostic Alert, Monthly Vehicle Health Report and in-vehicle service scheduling.

For more details on Hyundai Assurance, please visit www.HyundaiAssurance.com
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ABOUT GENSLER
Gensler is a global design firm, with 43 offices and 3,500 employees worldwide. Gensler helps clients succeed by focusing on the needs of the people they serve, whether they are employees, customers, sports fans, students, passengers or guests. Founded in 1965, Gensler has deep expertise in design and architecture across 20 practices, including commercial office buildings, professional services, retail, aviation, planning and urban design, entertainment and hospitality, sports stadia and education facilities. The firm also holds practices focusing on brand strategy, environmental graphic design, mission-critical facilities, and has recently invested in consulting for real estate workplace and sustainable design.

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SOURCE Hyundai Motor America