28 Feb 2017
Apple's US$5bn new headquarters set to open next month
BY Tom Anstey
Apple is about to open its new US$5bn (€4.7bn, £4bn) headquarters in April, with the Foster + Partners-designed project in California to include a dedicated visitor centre for tourists and a new theatre named after company co-founder Steve Jobs.
Sir Jony Ive, design chief for Apple, played a significant role in the project, working with Foster + Partners to realise the project in a hands-on capacity.
The doughnut-shaped futuristic campus, which was first unveiled in 2011, will include the 1,000-seat Steve Jobs theatre, in honour of Jobs, who died shortly after presenting the plans for the campus in 2011.
To include a rooftop observation deck and a shop, the visitor centre will comprise glass walls and a carbon-fibre roof. The plans for the attraction were a late addition, having only being submitted in April 2015. Planning permission for the whole site was granted back in 2013.
The centre includes a café, Apple Store and visitor reception, while stairs and elevators lead to the rooftop deck 23 feet (7 metres) from the ground, offering a clear view of the main ring-shaped building.
Two miles of running and walking paths will also be included in the wider Apple campus, which will act as a second headquarters for the technology giant, employing 13,000 people at peak capacity.
The design is intended to change staff behaviour, putting all staff members under one roof to “create the idea factory that will create future generations of Apple products for years to come.”
Close Window