Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has always been a company that has attempted to place itself at the cutting edge of technology. And the latest plans that have been released for its new headquarters in Cupertino gives yet another indication of the hi-tech future that Apple has planned. Described by sources variably as a “spaceship” and a “massive glass doughnut”, the planned development is now one step closer after images from the Apple development team were released into the public domain.
HQ driven by the late Steve Jobs
This space-age development was first announced back in 2011, when the late Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) founder Steve Jobs originally submitted the planning application. It is hard to convey the sheer scale of this architectural wonder, but when you consider that the campus building will be a mile (1.61 kilometers) in circumference then you get some idea of the vast scope of this new headquarters for Apple’s operations.
As might be expected from a company which has placed itself at the center of any new developments in technology, the emphasis with the Cupertino headquarters will be on making the development as ‘green’ as possible, as well as fitting in with Apple’s exemplary design ethics. The chief architect involved in the project, Sir Norman Foster, recently indicated in an interview with Architectural Record that cars will be “banished and buried” in an underground car park, and that tarmac will be conspicuous by its absence, instead replaced by attractive greenery.
With cars apparently not exactly encouraged, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is hoping that workers will cycle to work, and are thus planning to stock the Cupertino site with over 1,000 bicycles in order to enable their staff to navigate their way around the vast campus.
The descriptions of the headquarters also indicates that this is no rudimentary office block building. The Cupertino headquarters is intended to look as sleek as an Apple product, based around glass walls and solar paneling, with the entire site intended to cover 175 acres. The walls will apparently scale the entire height of the vast building, and will slide fully open revealing an incredible modern complex featuring cafes, restaurants and bars.
Apple to plant vast forest
Adding to the organic and environmentally friendly nature of the Cupertino site, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) also has big plans to add to the local ecosystem. The headquarters will apparently be surrounded by a vast forest comprised of more than 7,000 trees which will be planted by Apple workers prior to the opening of the site. This will make the Apple campus redolent of the Californian area where Steve Jobs grew up.
The whole development looks incredibly impressive, and will once again emphasize the vision of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and their determination to mark themselves out from its competitors by creating an incredibly unique identity. Undoubtedly the site has been inspired by Jobs himself, and the Cupertino headquarters may be viewed as his ultimate legacy for the corporation.
With the building having been planned for three years, it probably comes as little surprise that it won’t exactly be thrown up overnight. Building work will take until at least 2016, although it seems more likely that it will become operable around three years from now.
