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Circular buildings have a massive issue. While I love the design look the reality of zero visual reference points for easy orientation is going to make this building almost unusable. Anyone who has used a stadium can attest to the sheer terribleness of any homogeneous circle. The BBC television centre was torn down in part because it was such a awful building to navigate and use. I hope apple put in some huge features that mean navigating and orientating the site is easy but I suspect they won't be able to help themselves and will make every entrance and bit of landscaping identical.

So basically "Form over function"

Something we have all heard for many years, when it comes to most things Apple do.
 
The Burj Khalifa had the advantage of slave-like labor: mostly migrant workers that labored under horrible conditions, many illegally forced to work overtime without additional pay/compensation, and when they complained and demonstrated, some were deported without being paid as a lesson to the others.

Kind'a like Apple's Chinese subcontractors?
 
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So basically "Form over function"

Something we have all heard for many years, when it comes to most things Apple do.

For many years Apple made very ugly hardware that was UX over form and won them a loyal following. There is some of that in all Apple products, simple functions that leave out steps to give a good UX. However I would agree someone at Apple got carried away with simplicity and form and the function part got put in last place, for me I've become less a fan over time.

I loved windows for years up until win8, at the time OSX and iOS were the best option to escape to and have proved to serve my needs very well indeed. In the net few years I will once again have to choose my side but it would be a toss up between them right now even with the WannaCry ransomware revelations and data collection on windows.
 
How did the cost reach 5b?

The Burj Khalifa cost less than half and didn't take as long to build...

That said, really cool facility, looks great.


Well, Jobs wanted 1/16" tolerances on all fittings, largest curved pieces of glass ever made, huge solar array on campus, and I am sure a couple of Benjamins to the local city officials for.....a new scholarship, or something like that.
 
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Circular buildings have a massive issue. While I love the design look the reality of zero visual reference points for easy orientation is going to make this building almost unusable. Anyone who has used a stadium can attest to the sheer terribleness of any homogeneous circle. The BBC television centre was torn down in part because it was such a awful building to navigate and use. I hope apple put in some huge features that mean navigating and orientating the site is easy but I suspect they won't be able to help themselves and will make every entrance and bit of landscaping identical.

Just maybe a company like Apple has the navigation aspect all figured out already. And having mobile devices helps.
 



Drone videographer Matthew Roberts today uploaded a new video about Apple Park, this time showcasing the construction progress that Apple has made on its new campus over the past year. The video starts in June 2016 and goes up through Roberts' most recent drone updates in April and May 2017, where last minute pieces of construction were being put into place as the first small batch of employees moved into the new workspace.

Roberts separated the video to focus on the major buildings and features at Apple Park, allowing viewers to watch all the progress that has been made on the central "Spaceship" building, Steve Jobs Theater, main tunnel, R&D facility, fitness center, parking garage, and atrium. Even the large mound of dirt that loomed over the site during the first weeks of construction gets some focus in the video.


Apple Park began as an idea by former CEO Steve Jobs, who pitched the plans for the campus to the Cupertino City Council in 2011, with a completion date for 2015. Demolition on the site began in 2013, and construction delays eventually pushed back a late 2016 opening to the spring of 2017. In February, Apple officially named the campus "Apple Park."

Construction is still ongoing at the campus, with the Steve Jobs Theater expected to open sometime later in the year, and small landscaping details continuing to be worked on as more employees move into the buildings. Eyes have been on Apple Park's construction since it began, with interesting coverage including nighttime footage, aerial photography, and even a recreation of the campus in Minecraft.

Article Link: New Apple Park Drone Video Recaps Construction Progress Made Over the Past Year
[doublepost=1494852661][/doublepost]I can't wait to see the new watch bands and emojis that will emerge from this new facility.
 
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How did the cost reach 5b?

The Burj Khalifa cost less than half and didn't take as long to build...

That said, really cool facility, looks great.

The cost of local labor would be a large factor. And of course differences in materials and systems.
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Circular buildings have a massive issue. While I love the design look the reality of zero visual reference points for easy orientation is going to make this building almost unusable. Anyone who has used a stadium can attest to the sheer terribleness of any homogeneous circle. The BBC television centre was torn down in part because it was such a awful building to navigate and use. I hope apple put in some huge features that mean navigating and orientating the site is easy but I suspect they won't be able to help themselves and will make every entrance and bit of landscaping identical.

Do you really think Foster + Partners was negligent on that?
 
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Just maybe a company like Apple has the navigation aspect all figured out already. And having mobile devices helps.
One doesn't mean an expert in another. Also, I can guess they didn't do this whole thing by themselves, more like most of it by a third-party.
 
Just maybe a company like Apple has the navigation aspect all figured out already. And having mobile devices helps.

Exactly! Just ask Siri...

"Hey Siri, how far is it to get back to my office?"
"Here's how 'Cars' did at the box office."
"NO, SIRI, HOW - FAR - IS - IT - TO - MY - OFFICE"
"Here's what I found on the web."
"SIRI I NEED TO GET BACK TO MY OFFICE!"
"I'll make a note of that."

angry-dwight.gif
 
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Reading all the news for years now about this new, overhyped building has tired me off.
I confine my dose to a single paragraph for every Apple product innovation (internal parafernalia excluded...)
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Wait until God finds out that this is NOT a 3.5km headphone jack;)
I assume you mean the female version ?
 
The cost of local labor would be a large factor. And of course differences in materials and systems.
[doublepost=1494853615][/doublepost]

Do you really think Foster + Partners was negligent on that?

From the architecture, yes. It shows zero understanding of how people navigate by skyline. Considering how many terrible buildings there are with huge names attached, I wouldn't put it past any architect firm.
 
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Looks real cool. Now...don't tell me it rotates or levitates...revealing from underneath the magic pipeline Tim keeps going on about..and those new exciting upcoming Mac hardware products! Waiting with expectation on a stratospheric scale .....
 
See that small portacabin just by the builder's outside toilet? That's the just-in-case scenario building, where they're designing the new Mac Pro.
 
Looks real cool. Now...don't tell me it rotates or levitates...revealing from underneath the magic pipeline Tim keeps going on about..and those new exciting upcoming Mac hardware products! Waiting with expectation on a stratospheric scale .....
It needn't rotate. The building was designed to assist Apple product development staff to run in circles.
 
Okay swap the Burj with Tapei 101 or the Petronas towers...

I'm not having a stab, we have a tiny little bridge here in Christchurch that was damaged by earthquakes, it took longer to repair the it took to build the Golden Gate bridge...go figure

It just blows me away how much things cost now and how long things take to build compared to a decade or two ago....

You're not grasping the scale of this project and the underground interconnected aspects, never mind the amount of firsts this project has produced in the means of manufacturing, energy storage, etc.
 
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Great video. The amount of negative commentary on the youtube video itself is astounding. I don't understand why people can't be more positive or just keep it to themselves.
 
Kind'a like Apple's Chinese subcontractors?

Not even close. But I suspect you already know that. Apple could do more to ensure local laws are followed and that the subcontractors that they use treat workers well and within the law. But there ain't no comparison to laborers in the Gulf region.
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Circular buildings have a massive issue. While I love the design look the reality of zero visual reference points for easy orientation is going to make this building almost unusable. Anyone who has used a stadium can attest to the sheer terribleness of any homogeneous circle.

Well looking at this quote from several weeks ago about 11,000 parking spaces:

"The parking will be managed by sensors and apps, which will manage the traffic and parking spaces."

I would imagine that a similar system will be in place for orientation of workers and visitors.
 
Great video. The amount of negative commentary on the youtube video itself is astounding. I don't understand why people can't be more positive or just keep it to themselves.


I blame Facebook and "Zucker the Man" for all of this crap we are dealing with. He has enabled billions to people to show that their outrage is more important and better than your outrage. And Google for allowing anyone to instantly produce something 100% contradictory to what is stated.....
 
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