Glaukos Headquarters

New outdoor spaces and a placemaking approach turned an aging office campus into a cohesive center for innovation and familial culture for a medical technology and pharmaceutical company.

In a busy area of south Orange County, three disconnected, 1990s-era multi-tenant buildings were transformed into a cohesive, vibrant campus for Glaukos, a leader in ophthalmic technologies and therapies.

The redesign seamlessly blended indoor and outdoor spaces, while lowering costs and embodied carbon. The existing shells of the three buildings, totaling 160,000 square feet, were preserved rather than demolished. Outdoor spaces were developed as a conduit to bring together lab and office workers. Walking trails connect game spaces, a covered media deck, a respite garden, and areas for private meetings, encouraging the type of socializing and collaboration that has always been a key element of the company’s ethos

The interior spaces were redesigned to create flexible environments that reflected the company’s brand and workflow. Structural engineers helped redesign existing systems to support the specific needs of the lab environments, while creating more open spaces. Enclosed offices were pulled away from the glass line to maximize exposure to natural daylight and provide expansive views of the mountains and valley.

Glaukos' brand identity is expressed through the recurring symbol of an oculus, reflecting the company's logo and innovation in eye health. The interior office space aligns around two open interconnecting stairs that are defined by an abstraction of the oculus form, anchored by enlarged representations of the traditional eye chart. A large video wall provides an “eye” connecting staff with colleagues in the firm’s sister offices.

Learn more about LPA’s approach to placemaking.