I know this is chump change for Apple, but $5 billion? I'm reminded of those companies who spent extravagantly on office space only to fall victim to the costs of that space later on down the road. Hope it doesn't happen to Apple. But then again, they ARE relying on just one product line.
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New Video Shows Up-Close Look at Progress on Apple Campus 2
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I can't be the only one that thought "Pentagon" the entire time I was watching that video . . . . no slight intended towards the architecture or engineering, it's obviously far more sophisticated a design, layout, and execution than the Pentagon could ever hope to be given the circa of its commission.
Corporate wealth & power has become quite frightening.
Corporate wealth & power has become quite frightening.
It is not lost on me that the video is 3 minutes and 14 seconds in length.
Construction on Apple's spaceship-shaped second campus is progressing, as detailed in a new close-up video shared by Skycore on Vimeo. Shot last Monday, the video offers a look at the current state of construction, depicting a finished foundation, the first walls of the ring-shaped structure, and work on an underground parking facility.
Apple has had some issues with campus construction as of late, and in May, the company hired Silicon Valley company Rudolph & Sletten to take over as general contractor, replacing Skanska USA and DPR Construction as work begins on the interior of the building. It is not clear why Apple parted ways with the original general contractor on the project, but according to Skanska, an agreement could not be reached for "the revised scope of work."
Apple's campus features a massive 2.8 million square foot ring-shaped main building, an underground parking lot, a 100,000 square foot fitness center, and a 120,000 square foot auditorium for hosting major events. The entire campus will be covered with hundreds of trees and there will be a central garden with outdoor dining areas. A second phase of development will add several nearby research and development facilities.
Campus 2 is costing Apple upwards of $5 billion, and it is unclear if its recent contractor shift has increased initial cost estimates. It's also unknown if the project is still on track for a late 2016 completion, but Apple has not notified the City of Cupertino of any delays, so it may still be finished at the end of next year.
Article Link: New Video Shows Up-Close Look at Progress on Apple Campus 2
When you realise they could have 20 of these around the world going on right now, and all could be paid up front I cash, no debt, no interest. Nothing to owing when done, and still have billions left, you get the idea.
I'm just thinking Pi constant and the fact the campus is a large circle - could it be possibly?
It's amazing to me how quickly a project of this size is taking shape. A state university near me is constructing a single three-story building, and they estimate it will take three years to complete. The entire Apple campus will probably be finished before that single building.
I can imagine. I guess it's probably much easier when you have Apple's finances and options.
Design change, to avoid all that watering, is to turn the center of the ring into an enormous sandbox. That is why Skanska bailed... The cost to transport all that sand would have broke them!
Nice find!I'm just thinking Pi constant and the fact the campus is a large circle - could it be possibly?
Unlike what some people said (in the middle of the main ring, seriously? That was supposed to be and, I am guessing, will still be an enclosed garden and nothing more), it's in near-full view at 1'09'', in the lower right corner of the frame. You can make out the containing walls for the cylindrical foyer/staircase and the (apparently) rectangular floorplan of the auditorium itself. I have no idea about the seated capacity, though…
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Yeah, I was thinking of this structure, which is clearly located outside of the ring. Sorry about that.
It's just ridiculous. To blow that much cash on a structure that large is bizarre.
And if you have a meeting at the other side of the ring, you either go around, or through the center. Odd...
But anyway... It's going to be interesting to see if there are any more issues with the construction. The change in contractors makes me think that there was a few change orders and the old contractor couldn't get them done in/on time.
And if you have a meeting at the other side of the ring, you either go around, or through the center. Odd...
But anyway... It's going to be interesting to see if there are any more issues with the construction. The change in contractors makes me think that there was a few change orders and the old contractor couldn't get them done in/on time.
Either that, or waste the cash paying rising rents (competing with Google, LinkedIn, et.al.) on a vast number of scattered less suitable buildings, and thus have more of your local employees waste lots of paid time stuck in traffic trying to get between buildings so they can collaborate and meet, etc.
The new campus might well turn out to be an excellent long term investment in comparison to the NPV of rising and increasing office space rents, as well as encouraging more random collaboration between teams.
It's really not much money for Apple nor for what they are getting for it.
As for getting around, the whole part about using the middle to get where you want is what makes it rather quick to get around.
You make a good point here. Even when they'd have their own water treatment facilities it would still be bad to waste all this liquid on keeping the lawn nice & shiny. At one hand they promised to make the whole site more green, but - with rumours going Californian water levels are not quite what they're used to be - it could potentially mean bad PR.
My guess is that they will proceed with green coloured features, but choose for a more environmental better planting.
Try to explain that to your children.... that lawn and flowers are actually bad for the environment. Gotta love living in the 21st century!
I think I remember their original plan called for vegetation that would reflect the natural landscape of the area. And renders like the one below support that. Oak trees, field grass and sage like shrubs are very drought resistant and look very beautiful.
California's natural landscape is not green grass, palm trees and other crap that suck water like crazy. Making the space more "green" does not necessarily have to mean green in color, I think they meant less asphalt and more nature. I'm pretty sure in his original presentation Steve Jobs mentioned a landscape reminiscent of 30 to 50 years ago, and that would be golden fields and oaks. I trust Apple, more than any other tech company, to get this right.
And if anyone wants to challenge the idea that rolling gold hills dotted with sparse green and stone can be beautiful, I have my own short reel of drone footage that says otherwise. Granted, with the drought, things are a little more brown than normal, but this is more or less what Central to Northern California is supposed to look like in the summer: