Apple new HQ

[monctezuma]

Foster’s Apple Headquarters Exceeds Budget by $2 Billion

 

© Foster + Partners, ARUP, Kier + Wright, Apple

 

The estimated cost of Apple’s Cupertino City headquarters has escalated from an already hefty price of $3 billion to $5 billion (more than $1,500 per square foot), reportedly pushing back the original completion date to 2016. According to Bloomberg, Apple is working with lead architect Foster & Partners to shave $1 billion from the “ballooning budget”. Most of the cost is seemly due to Steve Job’s “sky-high requirements for fit and finish”, as the tech legend called for the 2.8 million square foot, circular monolith to be clad 40-foot panes of German concave glass, along with its four-story office spaces be lined with museum-quality terrazzo floors and capped with polished concrete ceilings.

 

Although lambasted for his ambitious plans and “doughnut-shaped” design, Steve Jobs wanted to create a masterpiece that looked as good as it functioned, just like his products. During a 2011 presentation to the Cupertino City Council, Jobs stated, “This is not the cheapest way to build something… there is not a straight piece of glass in this building.” He continued, “We have a shot… at building the best office building in the world. I really do think that architecture students will come here to see it.”

 

 

© Foster + Partners, ARUP, Kier + Wright, Apple

 

The spaceship-like headquarters, as Jobs would describe, is intended to accommodate more than 12,000 employees. It will be one of six visible structures planned for the 176 acre parcel - including the headquarters, a lobby to a 1000-seat underground auditorium, a four-story parking garage near Interstate 280, a corporate fitness center, a research facility and central plant - all of which will be accessed by a network of underground roads and parking lots, hidden by 6,000 trees.

 

In addition, Jobs envisioned the campus to achieve “net-zero energy” by offsetting energy use with 700,000 square feet of rooftop solar panels (enough to generate 8 megawatts of power), along with additional contracts for solar and wind power, climate responsive window dressings, and more (additional project information, including plans and images, can be found here).

 

© Foster + Partners, ARUP, Kier + Wright, Apple

 

Despite the cost, Bloomberg states, “There’s no indication that Apple is getting cold feet.” Site excavation is planned to commence in June.

 

In related news, Facebook’s quarter-mile-long West Campus by Frank Gehry was just awarded approval from city council. All the details here.

 

Reference: Bloomberg

[monctezuma]

More about Foster + Partner’s new Apple Campus in Cupertino

 

© Foster + Partners, ARUP, Kier + Wright, Apple

 

The city of Cupertino has released more details about the new Apple Campus, revealed back in June.

 

The new documents confirm Foster + Partners as the architects, working with ARUP North America and Kier & Wright, a local civil engineering firm that has worked on Apple’s current campus and buildings for other tech companies (eBay, Nvidia, Cisco, Netflix and Sun, among others).

 

About the program:

 

An Office, Research and Development Building comprising approximately 2.8 million square feet for up to 13,000 employees

A 1,000 seat Corporate Auditorium

A Corporate Fitness Center

Research Facilities comprising approximately 300,000 square feet

A Central Plant

Associated Parking

 

It’s a pretty amazing building. It’s a little like a spaceship landed. It’s got this gorgeous courtyard in the middle… It’s a circle. It’s curved all the way around. If you build things, this is not the cheapest way to build something. There is not a straight piece of glass in this building. It’s all curved. We’ve used our experience making retail buildings all over the world now, and we know how to make the biggest pieces of glass in the world for architectural use. And, we want to make the glass specifically for this building here. We can make it curve all the way around the building… It’s pretty cool.

 

- Steve Jobs

 

The round shape has also been cited as an important part of the campus’ security (better perimeter control) and to improve internal circulations.

 

It’s interesting to see that the objectives of the project are focused on reducing the use of electricity by generating its own energy on an on-site Central Plant, provide open green spaces “for Apple employees’ enjoyment” and to “exceed economic, social, and environmental sustainability goals through integrated design and development”. It seems Jobs choose the right firms for this.

 

By looking at the drawings it seems that the project is ready to go, and now it’s waiting for city approval. The city has revealed that they are very likely to approve the project, so it seems everything is on route for an opening in 2015.

 

Drawings and renderings after the break:

 

Proposed conceptual site plan © Foster + Partners, ARUP, Kier & Wright, Apple

 

Proposed main building Level 1 plan © Foster + Partners, ARUP, Kier & Wright, Apple

 

Proposed parking structure section perspective © Foster + Partners, ARUP, Kier & Wright, Apple

 

Proposed street elevation, East Homestead Road © Foster + Partners, ARUP, Kier & Wright, Apple

 

And many more drawings, sketchs, etc. :

 

http://www.archdaily.com/160044/more-about-foster-partners-new-apple-campus-in-cupertino/

[monctezuma]

Voici le site actuel, c'est un beau projet environnemental !

 

[nephersir7]

 

details: http://www.dezeen.com/2015/02/13/drone-movie-apple-campus-2-construction/

[Habsfan]

Bof..contrairement a tous les moutons qui achètent tous ce que Apple produit, je ne suis pas fou de ce design. Très americain...cet immeuble prends beaucoup trop de place!

 

Un gros beigne!! WOW, Homer Simpson va aimer ça!

[LindbergMTL]

Ce design va à l'encontre de certains principes de base de bonne configuration pour les gens qui travaillent ensemble. Il y a beaucoup de doutes autour du projet. On verra à l'usage.