If you’ve ever been to an Apple retail store and wondered exactly how much Windex they might need to clean all that glass, just imagine what the bill will be like for the new Apple campus, a glassy structure whose design was recently revealed.
The proposed building, which was designed by British architect Norman Foster, will occupy space on a 175 acre campus in Cupertino, California. It will comprise approximately 2.8 million square feet within its four stories of shiny glass, and be home to about 13,000 employees.
And – oh yeah – it is a giant circle.
Perhaps it is meant to evoke King Arthur’s round table, or a geometric improvement on the US government’s Pentagon, or maybe it is just supposed to look like a giant, gleaming flying saucer has landed in the middle of California. If it is the latter, better call in some expert UFO hunters. Maybe this will finally explain Steve Jobs’ otherworldly uniform.
The new home of the makers of the iPad, iPod, iPhone and other must-own gadgets, will now have facilities that include: a 1,000 seat auditorium; a fitness center; 300,000 square feet of research space; and plenty of parking.
In addition, the new headquarters will boast many green features such as an on-site, low carbon power plant, a plan to reuse water, and ways to cut down on car travel.
In a press release, the Apple Campus 2 was hailed as “a serene and secure environment reflecting Apple’s values of innovation” and the unique design, revealed in a city council meeting, is exactly that. In the center of the circular structure is a lush green park, which, in many ways, seems an attempt to demonstrate a living corporate philosophy. Plus, it’s fun to look at, much like Apple products themselves!
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Rich Steeves is a TechZone360 copy editor. He taught writing for nine years. He has also worked as an editorial assistant at Penny Publications. He has written short stories, newspaper columns, blogs and recently published his first novel. He attended The George Washington University where he received his bachelor's degree in English and a master's degree in education. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by
Jennifer Russell
