The modernist white and glass building was designed by Los Angeles architect Ernest Lee.

[3] GM sold the Hughes aerospace and defense operations to Raytheon in 1997, and spun off Hughes Research Laboratories (legally renamed and organized on December 17, 1997 as a limited liability company, "HRL Laboratories, LLC"), with GM and Raytheon as co-owners.

In 2007, Raytheon decided to sell its stake, though it still maintains research and contractual relations with HRL.

HRL receives funding from its LLC partners, US government contracts, and other commercial customers.

HRL focuses on advanced developments in microelectronics, information and systems sciences, materials, sensors, and photonics; their workspace spans from basic research to product delivery.