LG Electronics’ North American Headquarters 

When global technology company, LG Electronics wanted to consolidate its North American headquarters on a single site across the Hudson River from northern Manhattan it selected HOK to lead the design. The facility needed to support the Seoul-based company’s North American business activities while also protecting the iconic vistas and integrity of the adjacent Palisades Interstate Park, a National Historic Landmark.  

HOK’s team in collaboration with LG’s leaders and local conservation groups created a design that nestles the 350,000 sq.ft. building into the landscape. HOK’s Design Principal on the project, Kenneth Drucker, FAIA , said, “The design integrates LG’s aspirations to build a world-class, sustainable headquarters in a park-like setting – below the tree line of the historic Palisades.”  

View of Manhattan and the LG Electronics campus from the roof of the parking garage. Photo by Christopher Payne, courtesy of HOK

In accordance with both the desire of LG and the research of HOK, the headquarters does more than just filling its substantial headquarters-office role. Featuring dedicated showrooms for home appliances and home entertainment products, this corporate headquarters is as much an LG product showcase as it is an administrative office. It serves the branding needs of the company to educate and inspire employees, customers and the surrounding communities alike. Among other community outreach features, it offers an education-focused “LG Innovation Lab” available to local schools, to give students real-world experience with bleeding-edge technologies. 

“Following the model of our headquarters buildings in South Korea, the North American headquarters demonstrates LG’s commitment to employee health and wellness, corporate social responsibility and industry leadership in community engagement,” said Steven Yu, the project’s Director of Building Operations. “Through world-class architectural design led by HOK and eye-popping technological installations completed by AVI-SPL and LG staff, this unique office celebrates LG’s achievements and advances – from large-format commercial displays and desktop monitors to energy-efficient appliances and climate control systems.” 

The demands of the site resulted in a “groundscraper” that is 1,300 feet long – equivalent to a 120-story skyscraper. Render courtesy of HOK

AVI-SPL, a globally-respected integration firm and longtime LG partner, was responsible for integrating many of the displays throughout the employee-facing areas of the headquarters.  

LG Electronics was founded in 1958 as GoldStar. The company initially focused on producing radios, TVs, and home appliances for the domestic South Korean market. In 1995, GoldStar rebranded as LG Electronics, a name that stands for “Life’s Good.” Over the ensuing years, LG Electronics has diversified its product portfolio to cover a wide range of electronic devices, including smartphones, home entertainment systems, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, and more. 

The education-focused “LG Innovation Lab” is available to local schools and offers customers and local communities real-world experience with bleeding-edge technologies. Photo by Ari Burling, courtesy of LG Electronics

In addition to its better-known consumer products, LG has a strong presence in the B2B sector, offering a wide range of solutions for businesses, including commercial displays, solar panels, energy storage systems, solid surface material and carpet tiles;  a plethora of which were incorporated into the HQ project. 

The new LG (Life’s Good) identity reflects the company’s commitment to enhancing the quality of life through its products and services. And especially important to this project, the company has also become known for its commitment to sustainability. That commitment faced many challenges on the project.  

The education-focused “LG Innovation Lab” is available to local schools and offers customers and local communities real-world experience with bleeding-edge technologies. Photo by Ari Burling, courtesy of LG Electronics

Having previously been home to a bank processing center, the rocky, 27-acre site along the Hudson River’s Palisades Parkway was a sea of asphalt. Additionally, it is in close proximity to a residential neighborhood. A feng shui master was hired to suggest the orientation of the buildings to the southeast, stepping down toward the river to help blend the architecture with the landscape. 

To soften the ecological and visual impact of the development, the design preserves existing woodlands and wetlands while restoring much of the land to its natural condition. Adding more than 1,500 trees (most of them mature) the project provides a large landscape buffer that shields the buildings from the residential neighborhood to the south. 

The main building entry and dining areas have green walls inspired by Korean topographical patterns. Photo by Ari Burling, courtesy of HOK

Other sustainable strategies include sixty thousand square feet of LG solar panels, two acres of green roofs with native plantings running alongside the PV modules atop the office wings and the restoration of six wetlands and three native woodlands consistent with Audubon Society guidelines.  

The solar installation generates 30% of the facility’s electricity, and together with the LG smart and energy efficient electronics used throughout, results in an energy use intensity (EUI)  58% lower than the AIA 2030 benchmark. As  result of the concerted effort to find sustainable solutions across many parameters the building has achieved LEED Platinum-NC certification. 

Sustainability efforts include more than 1,500 newly planted trees, a 50 percent increase in green space, improved woodlands, developed gardens and a landscaped walking trail, the exterior provides workers with a stress-relieving nature retreat just outside their doors. Photo by Christopher Payne, courtesy of HOK

LG’s new campus has become a post-COVID-19 model for companies seeking flexible office space outside urban centers.  

Each wing contains multiple meeting and conference rooms of varying sizes that offer BYOD (bring your own device) connectivity to digital displays and remote collaboration equipment. The largest spaces are outfitted with 98-inch 4K digital displays, while medium-sized rooms and huddle rooms offer 86- and 55-inch models, respectively.  

Employees enjoy wonderful views of nature and the New York Skyline, to say nothing of the healthy opportunity to “take the stairs.” Photo by Ari Burling, courtesy of HOK

In terms of employee amenities, each floor includes an open-plan “work café” space that houses 75-inch digital signage displays used for messaging. Large-screen displays also are integrated into the “LG Academy HVAC training center” and “Skyline Showroom” demonstration kitchen that are open to the neighboring community as part of the community educational outreach program. 

“We have displays installed throughout the wings that provide an always-on messaging platform that allows us to communicate consistent brand messages and company information to employees as needed,” Yu explained. “By utilizing so many different LG products and displays, we’ve created a work environment that represents our ingenuity and achievements while deepening employee appreciation for the products themselves.” 

While the debate about mobile work, hybrid work and return-to-office rumbles on, informed A&D leadership as demonstrated in this project by HOK, and positive corporate concern for employees’ wellbeing as shown by LG Electronics will find solutions that are effective for both companies and employees.

Aerial view of solar panels and green roof. Photo by Christopher Payne, courtesy of HOK
Horizontal louvers on the eastern and southern facades protecting it from glare and heat gain. Photo by Christopher Payne, courtesy of HOK
LG’s 173-inch direct-view LED screen in the CEO boardroom. Photo by Ari Burling, courtesy of LG Electronics
Each wing contains multiple meeting and conference rooms of varying sizes that offer BYOD (bring your own device) connectivity to digital displays and remote collaboration equipment. Photo by Ari Burling, courtesy of LG Electronics
Small conference and video collaboration room. Photo by Ari Burling, courtesy of LG Electronics
Open plan workspaces use LG Hausys modular carpet tile. Photo by Ari Burling, courtesy of HOK
The modular, open-office floor plan includes a series of centrally located work cafes and meeting nodes. The team specified LG Hausys solid surface (HI-MACS) and quartz (Viatera) for millwork elements, counters and wall paneling. Photo by Ari Burling, courtesy of HOK
49-inch LG digital displays provide menu boards and an L-shaped video wall in The Servery cafeteria. Photo by Ari Burling, courtesy of LG Electronics