4 0 s , ▁Howard ▁Hugh es ▁created ▁a ▁R & D ▁facility ▁in ▁C ul ver ▁City , ▁California . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁construction ▁started ▁on ▁the ▁headquarters ▁located ▁on ▁a ▁Mal ib u ▁hill top ▁over looking ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean . ▁The ▁modern ist ▁white ▁and ▁glass ▁building ▁was ▁designed ▁by ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁architect ▁Ernest ▁Lee . ▁The ▁headquarters ▁was ▁built ▁by ▁the ▁Del ▁E . ▁Web b ▁Const ruction ▁Company , ▁who ▁built ▁several ▁facilities ▁for ▁Hugh es . ▁The ▁labor atory ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁the ▁Web b ▁Const ruction ▁Company ▁built ▁the ▁second ▁building . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Federal ▁Cour ts ▁declared ▁in ▁a ▁court ▁case ▁that ▁the ▁Howard ▁Hugh es ▁Medical ▁Institute , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁retain ▁its ▁non - pro fit ▁status , ▁must ▁div est ▁itself ▁of ▁Hugh es ▁A ircraft ▁Company ▁and ▁subs idi aries . ▁General ▁Mot ors ▁purchased ▁Hugh es ▁A ircraft ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁ ▁G M ▁sold ▁the ▁Hugh es ▁a eros pace ▁and ▁defense ▁operations ▁to ▁Ray the on ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁and ▁sp un ▁off ▁Hugh es ▁Research ▁Labor ator ies ▁( leg ally ▁renamed ▁" H RL ▁Labor ator ies , ▁L LC "), ▁with ▁G M ▁and ▁Ray the on ▁as ▁co - own ers . ▁ ▁G M ▁sold ▁the ▁Hugh es ▁satellite ▁operations