Genesis has chosen Los Angeles as a new hub for its future design work with the opening of Genesis Design California in El Segundo on October 9, 2025. The 80,000-square-foot site—roughly the size of 18 basketball courts—is the brand’s first dedicated design studio in North America and its third worldwide after Korea and Germany. The facility handles new-model and concept-car design as well as research on color, materials, and finishes.
About 45 staff members work inside a purpose-built space that includes a full-scale clay modeling room and a CMF (Color, Material, Finish) studio focused on “sustainable luxury,” featuring alternatives to natural leather and recycled textiles. Designers describe the building as a calming, open environment that still feels refreshing even after navigating heavy traffic.
Luke Donckerwolke, Genesis’s global head of design, said the studio embodies the brand’s philosophy that “design is the brand,” and will create designs that fit North American lifestyles. He added that the three studios in Seoul, Frankfurt, and El Segundo operate as a 24-hour “nonstop” design network, sharing data continuously to develop products in parallel for global markets.
During the opening, Genesis also presented the Prestige Black trim [source phrase says “first unveiled domestically”—clarify whether this refers to Korea or the U.S.]. The black monotone edition—introduced in Korea first—applies a unified dark finish across elements such as the radiator grille and emblem, and will be offered on the G80, G90, GV80, and GV80 Coupe. Sang-yup Lee, head of design, noted that black requires precise control of temperature and texture, saying the team tuned everything from exterior panels to interior wood trim to achieve depth and warmth.
With Genesis Design California, Genesis expands its global footprint while anchoring advanced design, materials research, and concept development in the heart of Southern California’s car culture.
BY HOONSIK WOO [woo.hoonsik@koreadaily.com]
