Are you an avid Harley-Davidson biker interested in knowing about the rich history of the brand, including where its headquarters is located? If so, then you are in the right place.
Harley-Davidson’s headquarters are in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In this article, you will get to know all about Harley-Davidson Motor Company, where is Harley-Davidson headquarters located, in-depth details about the Harley-Davidson headquarters, and a lot more. Continue reading to get all the answers that you are looking for.
Where is Harley-Davidson headquarters?
The Harley-Davidson Motor Company Corporate Headquarters are located at 3700 West Juneau Avenue in Milwaukee, WI. It is also the site where the very first Harley-Davidson motorcycle was built in 1903, the backyard of the William C. Davidson family home. In 1994, this property got listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Currently, these headquarters are spread over four city blocks. There have been numerous construction projects carried out on the Harley-Davidson headquarters. Both Michael Garber Architecture and Kubala Washatko Architects have served as designers in the past few decades.
Recent projects on the Harley-Davidson headquarters include the renovation of eight floors of the facilities. This extensive remodel included office, training facilities, and conference and design rooms, all of them with specialized lighting fixtures and grid wall paneling designed around historical elements in the building. The custom finishes that adorn the space including the walls are stained to complement the existing brick walls in the facility. There is also a 72 feet long, 12 feet tall, and 8 feet wide pedestrian skywalk bridging the fifth floors of building A1 and Building 11.
The other projects that were undertaken during the multiphased renovation include window and skylight replacements, tuck-pointing and restoration, exterior masonry, and plant services space renovations to improve functionality.
For over a century, Harley-Davidson Motor Company has done well to maintain a strong presence and represents one of the longest and most prestigious corporations that has been headquartered in Milwaukee throughout its tenure dating back to 1903. The Harley-Davidson headquarters campus exists west of downtown Milwaukee and is adjacent to long-time corporate neighbor Miller Brewing Company. It includes many corporate facilities that have been constructed and renovated over the years for addressing the company’s ongoing operational and capital facility needs.
Keeping pace with all the functional needs of such a large and historic corporate campus requires a great deal of planning and coordination for maintaining continuity and cohesiveness. Moreover, it also needs to have the resources for implementing and managing projects and improvements from the initial conceptual stage to the final completion stage as they arise can be quite challenging.
To help with these challenges, Harley-Davidson has taken the help of some of the best on-site consultants to manage the management department of the headquarters. From basic project programming to performing budget exercises, needs analysis, and comprehensive project management, these on-site consultants provide not just immediate but also long-term solutions for the Harley-Davidson headquarters.
Background of the historic Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building
The Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building was interestingly the original Harley-Davidson motorcycle factory that was constructed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1906. The Factory Building was located in what is now known as 3700 W. Juneau, and it was expanded regularly with new additions in the early 1900s. In 1994, the site got added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Harley-Davidson’s first location was a backyard shed where Arthur Davidson and William S. Harley built three bikes in 1903. Arthur Davidson’s dad was a cabinet maker, and he helped construct the shed in the Davidson backyard in the form of a 10 x 15 ft (3.0 x 4.6 m). In 1904, the shed’s size was doubled and the fledging company produced eight motorcycles. In 1905, the shed’s size got doubled yet again with yet another addition.
By the end of the year, Harley and Davidson decided to apply for and received a loan to build a factory. They bought new land at what is now known as Juneau Avenue in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and started to construct the 1906 Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building. In 1906, Harley and the three Davidson brothers built their first factory on Chestnut Street.
The original factory was at the current location of the corporate headquarters of Harley-Davidson. In 1906, the company managed to produce 50 bikes in their new factory.
The building was expanded continually to meet the demands, which means the construction occurred often. The company even rented factory space in other Milwaukee locations. The demand for Harley-Davidson bikes was growing every year. In 1909, the company produced 1,149 bikes, in 1911 it became 5,625, in 1912 it was 3,852, while in 1913 Harley-Davidson produced 12,966 bikes. The company kept on producing bikes at the original location from 1903 to 1973.
By 1909, Harley-Davidson occupied 5,760 sq. ft. The building was considered to be modern in 1909 but by 1913, it became inadequate based on the increased demand for Harley-Davidson bikes. The motorcycle company razed the structure from April 17th to April 23rd, 1913, and started building a larger factory, which would open up by June 1913. In 1913, Motorcycle Illustrated decided to publish an article on Harley-Davidson constructing the 8th building of the properly. This was a 6-story structure with 40,320 sq. ft. of floor designated for the motorcycle shop, while the building was 90 x 64 ft.
The original 1906 Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building’s site got added to the Wisconsin Historical Society Register of Historic Places on January 1st, 1989 while it was further added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 9th, 1994.
Harley-Davidson headquarters around the world
The Harley-Davidson headquarters have a free-form architectural design. What does free form really mean? Is it the freedom to express yourself, or is it to not stick to conventions? If this is the case, believe it or not, you’ve got numerous things in common with the group of Harley-Davidson bikers. Harley-Davidson bikers love freedom, and they show their freedom of expression by customizing their bikes. They’re able to reveal their unconventionality through their dress code, and they let themselves be carried along through the route. This is their world. Bikers ride sitting upright with their hands on the handlebars, touring around the world on long roads.
Harley-Davidson is an iconic brand that was started back in 1903, more than a century ago, and it has a long history. In World War II, the brand was the military supplier and in the 60s, the brand became a symbol of the counterculture. Harley-Davidson has headquarters not just in the US, but in other cities across the world too, including Australia.
Riding a Harley-Davidson bike is a lifestyle. This is the personality that reputed Australian architect Tony Owen wished to imprint on the Harley-Davidson Australian Headquarters building. In fact, the architectural jury awarded the work with the Asia Pacific Property Prize. However, only a true bike passionate can tell whether the brand spirit has been captured properly or not. The Harley-Davidson Headquarters is a landmark in Sydney Lane Cove Business Park.
An architectural icon has become an aesthetic reference, but this building goes far beyond that. It’s interesting to see the way in which Tony Owen’s studio has represented the concepts of movement and freedom with which this historic brand is associated. For achieving that, he has worked on the interior and exterior of the build area of 2,200 m2 out of a total of 5,000m2.
The exterior of the building is inspired by the concepts of movement, aerodynamics, and dynamism. Even though it doesn’t replicate any motorcycle element, the elegant design of the building can be related to motorcycle forks and frames. If you’re an architect in today’s digitally-driven world, you’ll notice that the innovation in contemporary architecture will go hand in hand with parametric design and with the ability to visualize instantly the results in 3D due to the right software.
The triangular structure outside is one of the best features of the building. However complex the geometry might be, you can easily generate plan views, elevations, or sections beside other common architectural elements. As for the interior of the building, there are more than one element that you’ll normally find in a company. Of course, there is an administrative area and a café. Since Harley-Davidson is a motorcycle brand, you will find an exhibition area, warehouse, and workshops.
However, what is most unusual for this kind of business, the company has incorporated quite uncommon elements, except for the new technology companies, placing things like a library in the foreground. If you’re looking to convey the idea that a brand represents a lifestyle, the Harley-Davidson headquarters express it very well.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading. Hopefully, now you know a lot more about Harley-Davidson Motor Company, where is Harley-Davidson headquarters located, in-depth details about the Harley-Davidson headquarters, and a lot more. The Harley-Davidson headquarters are located at 3700 West Juneau Avenue in Milwaukee. Interestingly, this is also the site where the first Harley-Davidson motorcycle was built in 1903. In 1994, this site got listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Harley-Davidson Corporate Headquarters spreads over 4 city blocks. The iconic motor company has maintained a strong presence, and it represents one of the longest-established corporations, which has been headquartered in Milwaukee throughout its near 120-year-long tenure.