Genesis' arrival in California is no surprise. The West Coast is still one of the global hearts of car culture, as evinced by the state’s impressive haul of major car design studios. As well as GM’s Advanced Design Center in Pasadena, BMW DesignWorks, and Toyota’s long-standing outpost in Newport Beach, CALTY Design Research, there are also major studios belonging to Honda, Nissan, Audi, and more.
Genesis Design California by EYRC
Tour Genesis Design California in El Segundo
Last autumn, the South Korean maker joined the Golden State roster with the opening of Genesis Design California in El Segundo. What started out as an 80,000 sq ft industrial warehouse has been turned into a state-of-the-art design centre, complete with offices, a model shop, car storage and event space.
Designed by Californian firm Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects (EYRC), the new space combines a low energy footprint with all the space, daylight and flexibility that a major studio needs.
The Genesis X Gran Equator Concept in the atrium of the new California Studio
One of the key activities at Genesis Design California is presentation; this is where design studies, concepts and new production variations are shown to stakeholders within the company and beyond. On site are no fewer than five turntables for 360-degree evaluation – these include outdoor locations for crucial scrutiny in the harsh Californian sun.
Genesis Design California by EYRC
Genesis’ current ethos is ‘New Thinking, New Possibilities’, and the brand – which is part of the Hyundai Motor Group – is currently undergoing a rethink, with a clutch of new concepts, including the X Skorpio Concept, and the upcoming Magma performance sub-brand, designed to turn cars like the GV60 into cult high-performance EVs.
Genesis Design California by EYRC
Genesis Design California by EYRC
Design is very much a global, ongoing enterprise in the auto industry, with a network of studios allowing 24-hour operation. That’s certainly the case with Genesis. The 45 team members who now work in El Segundo join existing studios in Seoul and Frankfurt, spanning the globe with a seamless handover between time zones.
The modelling area in the Californian studio
Clay milling robots in the studio
According to Luc Donckerwolke, Genesis’ chief creative officer, ‘design is brand and brand is design. Genesis Design California is the embodiment of this,’ he continues. ‘It embraces our distinctly Korean identity, creating a space that inspires creativity. I cannot wait to see that inspiration come to life in the team’s work.’
The library at Genesis Design California
Detail of the research library
In addition to the active workspaces required for translating 3D models into physical ones, whether through 3D-printing, clay-modelling or a combination of the two, the new space includes a research library, private retreat spaces and outdoor gardens that fuse traditional Korean garden design and Californian planting. The brand’s heritage is also reflected in a traditional tea platform in the library space.
The new studio is characterised by a number of breakout spaces
Genesis Design California by EYRC
EYRC Architects was set up in 1979 and has offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The 30-strong team has received over 200 awards, including 12 national awards from the American Institute of Architects.
For Genesis, the studio has fused its commercial experience with its portfolio of elegant private houses and hotels, creating a friendly domestic scale and ambience with undeniable industrial overtones.
Genesis Design California by EYRC