AMERICAN ICON
Oakley's HQ out of Foothill Ranch, CA
Oakley’s headquarters in California might be the most recognisable office in the action-sports industry. We recently stepped inside for a tour. Somehow, it’s even stranger and more impressive in person.
Oakley’s head offices in California are iconic.
The brutalist architecture on display makes it look like a futuristic bunker from alternative history. The domes, the spikes… there’s even a fricking military tank on the main grounds. In the battle for eyewear supremacy this is where the weapons of optical delight are born.
You step into the foyer and it’s almost like a movie set. The place is sci-fi-esque, full of metal sculptures and edgy cabinetry, but you can also see they’ve made a conscious effort in recent years to make it more welcoming. Greenery mixes with rust and chrome. The people at reception smile a big hello. There’s humanity in the habitat.
If you’re interested in working there, there’s every facility you could want. A tiered seating theatre, plenty of work space, an eyewear museum in case you ever need some inspiration. A shop at the front adds a built-in feedback factory where you can eavesdrop on customers and see what they’re digging and what they’re screwing their nose at. Feeling like you need to stretch your legs? Hit the BMX pump track out the side. There’s a huge R&D department too for product testing. Yup, a very cool place to work.
Check out the photos we snapped on our recent Oakley Office tour. Happy to report the toilets are plentiful and hygienic.
