Edwards LifeSciences employees will soon have access to additional office, lab and meeting space with the expansion of the company’s current Irvine office campus. Located adjacent to the current 32-acre campus, the Irvine-based medical device manufacturer is making steady progress on the 479,152 square-foot , according to a landing page for the project.
Located near the intersection of Red Hill Avenue and Alton Parkway just across from the company’s headquarters at 1 Edwards Way, the new space will accommodate approximately 4,000 employees. It also will include office space, laboratory space, a reception area, museum, full-service dining facility and conference center.
The design concept for the space comes from LPA Design Studios, and calls for flexibility and employee connection by placing conference and meeting space as a central point of the campus. Office and lab space will surround the central campus, bringing attention to the collaborative spaces, a landing page for the architectural design states.
“The resulting composition provides multiple opportunities for outdoor meetings, exterior dining, social gathering and smaller informal, casual ‘collisions’ that allow the campus population to come together and connect,” the website states.
LPA Designs began working with Edwards Lifesciences in 2011, when they began design work for the now-completed Starr Atrium. The 22,000 square foot project team began the renovations at the Irvine campus, and the project will connect two existing buildings while also allowing employees access to additional collaborative space.
“The atrium serves as a gathering point, social area and collaborative space for the company’s team. The atrium is also used as a venue for hosting events, including product launches and company meetings, requiring a large flexible space that also reflects the company’s image and values,” LPA Design Studios states on its website.
The space can be used both formally and informally, providing sitting areas as well as a stadium staircase to accommodate large gatherings. The flexible wooden staircase can host approximately 1,200 employees while also allowing for casual meetings on a day-to-day basis.
Additionally, the space is set apart by a box truss structure, which spans the entirety of the building. According to LPA Designs, this allows Edwards Lifesciences employees to fully maximize the open space concept.
“The customized structure also casts an artistic weave shadow across the interior, filtering the light streaming through the skylight that runs the length of the atrium. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide a connection to the outdoors, while a bi-fold vertical door can be opened to provide natural ventilation,” the architecture firm states on its website.
Edwards Lifesciences Campus is located within the Irvine Business Complex, an industrial and commercial office park in the city of Irvine. The property is also located near several other office complexes, including Alton Deere Plaza, Corporate Park, Irvine Concourse and Newport Freeway Business Park, among others. Additionally, it is located near both Interstate-405 and State Road 55, providing easy access to the rest of Irvine and Orange County.
Edwards Lifesciences was founded in 1958. With corporate headquarters in Irvine, the company supplies medical supplies and technology to clinicians in nearly 100 countries across the globe. In addition to the company’s Irvine headquarters, Edwards Lifesciences employs more than 3,000 employees across its global commercial and manufacturing operations.
LPA Design Studios was unable to comment in time for publication.
