The Coolest Architectural Buildings in Orange County, CA (2022) — Orange County Insiders

Sure, Orange County has its fair share of boring industrial park buildings that look like this:

But there are plenty of spectacular buildings throughout the county reflecting the architectural panache of various eras.

Orange County underwent extensive development in the 1970s, so many of the buildings that appear retro to us now were actually quite futuristic at the time—hurray for retrofuturism!

You’ll recognize William Pereira’s name several times throughout this post—his influence on Orange County architecture is undeniable as he had a major hand in the design of Irvine—which later became the paradigm for master-planned communities.

Several of the buildings follow a brutalist style of architecture—large concrete structures that follow a strict geometric pattern.

Read on to see if you recognize any of these buildings!

Chet Holifield Federal Building (Laguna Niguel)

Also known as “The Ziggurat” which is a name for an ancient Mesopotamian structure
Designed by William Pereira; Completed in 1971
Location used in the 1995 film “Outbreak”
According to the OC Register, this seven-story building will go up for auction in early 2023 (starting bid is a cool $70 million)
It is massive! And very much a federal government building—security pulled up to say hello as soon as I stopped to snap this pic.

ARTIC (Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center) Station (Anaheim)

Designed by: HOK; Completed in 2014
67,000 square foot building used as a train/bus station
Walking distance from Angel Stadium and the Honda Center
More ARTIC info

Anaheim Convention Center (Anaheim)

Designed by: Adrian Wilson & Associates; Completed in 1967
A remnant of the Googie architecture style Anaheim was known for back in the day. Be sure to check out our post on this topic: Googie Architecture in Orange County, CA: What’s Left in 2024?

Segerstrom Concert Hall (Costa Mesa, CA)

Christiansen and Grow Filling Station (Orange, CA)

Constructed in 1928 in the Storybook Revival style

Old Orange County Courthouse (formerly Santa Ana County Courthouse)

Completed in 1900
Made of Arizona red sandstone
California Registered Historical Landmark No. 837; Also listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The oldest existing county courthouse in Southern California
Used in many Hollywood films, including Legally Blonde; A popular OC location to get married

Painted Ladies (Huntington Beach, CA)

Constructed in the 1980s
More info

Christ Cathedral (formerly Crystal Cathedral)

Designed by: Johnson/Burgee architects; Completed in 1980
"The largest glass building in the world" at the time of completion
Prayer spire was added in 2009

Oakley Corporate Headquarters (Foothill Ranch)

Pacific Life Building (Newport Beach)

Designed by William Pereira; Completed in 1972
Located across the street from Fashion Island
Has been exclusively occupied by Pacific Life

Langson Library (UC Irvine)

College campuses are a great place to find unique, one-of-a-kind buildings and UCI is no exception. William Pereira’s firm played a big role in the design of the campus.

Completed in the 1970s, one of the original UCI buildings

McGaugh Hall (UC Irvine)

Designed by Arthur Erickson; Completed in 1991

Named for James McGaugh, a neurobiologist and professor known for his research findings on memory. Doesn’t it look like something you’d see in Disneyland’s Tomorrowland?