Mazda North America has moved into its new headquarters at 200 Spectrum tower in Irvine. The four-floor workspaces include neighborhood hubs for collaborating. (Courtesy of Mazda)

Mazda North America has moved into its new headquarters at 200 Spectrum tower in Irvine. The four-floor workspaces include executive suites for Irvine employees and associates from its main base in Japan. (Courtesy of Mazda)

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Mazda North America has moved into its new headquarters at 200 Spectrum tower in Irvine. The four-floor workspaces include small nooks for quiet work or collaboration. (Courtesy of Mazda)

Mazda North America has moved into its new headquarters at 200 Spectrum tower in Irvine. The four-floor workspaces include spaces for dining. Because many of the desks are shared hotel spots, there is no eating over the keyboard. (Courtesy of Mazda)

Hotel desks at the new Mazda North American Operations’ headquarters include check-in technology. This desk is available all day but employees are encouraged to balance office time with telecomuting. (Samantha Gowen, Orange County Register)



Hotel desks at the new Mazda North American Operations’ headquarters include check-in technology. This desk is available all day but employees are encouraged to balance office time with telecomuting. (Samantha Gowen, Orange County Register)

Lockers are available for Mazda employees who use hotel desks instead of a permanent spot at the new Mazda North American Operations’ headquarters in Irvine. (Samantha Gowen, Orange County Register)

A Mazda camshaft is displayed with other pieces of art at the company’s new North American Operations’ base in Irvine. (Samantha Gowen, Orange County Register)

Modeling clay is still used at Mazda when designing a vehicle. (Samantha Gowen, Orange County Register)

Mazda has moved to its new home at 200 Spectrum Center Drive. The group moved to the new building in June. A sign was installed on the building over the weekend. (Photo courtesy of Mazda North American Operations)



Mazda has moved to its new home at 200 Spectrum Center Drive. The group moved to the new building in June. A sign was installed on the building over the weekend. (Photo courtesy of Mazda North American Operations)

A view of Irvine Spectrum Center from the 10th floor of 200 Spectrum where Mazda’s North American headquarters has relocated. (Samantha Gowen, Orange County Register)

One of many conversation nooks found in the hallways of Mazda North American Operations’ headquarters in Irvine. The state-of-the-art workspace is loaded with new technology and open-floor offices for better collaboration. (Samantha Gowen, Orange County Register)

A view of Irvine Spectrum Center from the 10th floor of 200 Spectrum where Mazda’s North American headquarters has relocated. (Samantha Gowen, Orange County Register)

Hotel desks. Huddle rooms. Touch-screen projectors and 84-inch Microsoft Surface Hubs.

Rich wood flooring. Mood lighting. Conversation nooks and a barista or two.

These are just some of the modern touches that grace the new headquarters at Mazda North American Operations’ in Irvine. The company, in the city since 1987, relocated this year, moving about a block to 200 Spectrum tower from its previous base. The gleaming 21-story edifice of glass bears the Japanese automakers’ name.

Mazda held a ribbon cutting Friday, Aug. 25. Irvine officials and the media swarmed its first-floor lobby, where a shiny red MX-5 RF sports car and a CX-5 SUV stood as sentries.

Blase De Leo, the division’s vice president for brand engagement, called the new offices “more than just a location.”

De Leo said the automaker wanted to make its U.S. headquarters a “premium place to work” while emphasizing a work-life balance. The open-floor workspaces focus on collaboration for 350 on-site employees, who are also encouraged to telecommute from home.

The company has not disclosed how much it spent on the new HQ, but the workspace screams “expensive.” Finishes are top-notch and all the equipment is new and high-tech. Desks flex. Elegant lockers flank the walls. Office departments are called “communities.”

Beyond Irvine, the automaker recently made headlines when it announced a partnership with Toyota. Together the companies will build a $1.6 billion U.S. assembly plant. The site has yet to be announced.

In the joint venture, Toyota will acquire about 5 percent of Mazda, which will hold a 0.25 percent stake in the bigger automaker, according to both companies. The two will produce Corolla cars and Mazda crossovers at the shared factory in 2021, creating as many as 4,000 jobs. Mazda’s best-selling vehicle is the crossover CX-5. The company on Aug. 1 reported it had sold 68,000 CX-5s year to date, an increase of nearly 10 percent.

Mazda had not said yet how its U.S. division might be impacted by the development of the U.S. plant. The company is investing $500 million, as is Toyota.

The Irvine base encompasses five floors (the lobby plus levels 6-10) and 113,000 square feet. Here are some stats from the new HQ: