The community of office buildings in each commercial area reflects consistency in design and a commitment to the high standards established in The Irvine Company's design guidelines. The continuity that is achieved through the design review process and adherence to strict guidelines is what sets development on the Ranch apart.

Design guidelines define criteria for implementing coordinated design, organizational unity and overall visual identity for a commercial area. The intent of the guidelines is to establish a consistent design concept that produces a clear image and a sense of prestige, efficiency and integrity for the development. At the same time, the guidelines allow for a certain amount of flexibility to accommodate the needs of a wide variety of businesses.

Irvine Spectrum^® is an example of what this kind of planning can achieve. The Spectrum has an overall, coordinated design character that emphasizes a clean, contemporary, straightforward, quality image. This image is expressed in site planning, architecture, landscaping, lighting and signage.