New Apple Campus 2 tour highlights 'breathing' concrete, glass panels, power tech & more

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A new tour of Apple's Campus 2 headquarters in Cupertino -- due to start operations in early 2017 -- offers a close-up glimpse of the building's progress, and some of its unique architectural details.




The company's hired construction crews are still installing the approximately 3,000 glass panes the building will use, many measuring between 36 and 46 feet wide and 10-and-a-half feet long, Popular Science reported. That's said to be over twice the length of the biggest standard glass pane, and Apple's heaviest weigh some 7,000 pounds.

Inside, the company is installing 4,300 unique concrete slabs, which will not only double as floor and ceiling but serve as part of the building's natural air conditioning system. Each is hollow to allow air circulation, and while Apple will have powered climate control, that option is intended mainly to serve as a fallback.







Much of Campus 2 is said to be built on an enormous scale. The structure's restaurant doors alone are 92 feet tall, and weight a collective 330 tons.

Pop Sci noted that the complex's rooftop solar panels should generate 16 megawatts of power, backed by an additional 4 megawatts from biogas fuel cells. This should cover three-quarters of the energy Apple needs during core work hours, the rest being supplied by Monterey County and First Solar through a 130-megawatt solar project.

Construction on Campus 2, valued at $5 billion or more, is expected to finish by the end of 2016. The company recently committed to moving all of its 2017 press events out of 1 Infinite Loop.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 35
    bobschlobbobschlob Posts: 1,074member
    "36 and 46 feet wide and 10-and-a-half feet long"
    width and length are 
    synonymous in this case. I assume PopSci means "10-and-a-half feet tall" (height)

    Still; pretty awesome stuff.
    Also, forget where I read; but they built that glass installation machine just for the purpose of installing these panels.
    edited June 2016 djkfisherpscooter63mike1
  • Reply 2 of 35
    The House that Jobs built is yet another testament to his passion and talent for creating beautiful and useful objects. 
    lolliverration alschlackdjkfisherpscooter63viclauyyccaccamuccajr_b
  • Reply 3 of 35
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    The House that Jobs built is yet another testament to his passion and talent for creating beautiful and useful objects. 
    Credit Norman Foster and partners with much of the work here. The circle idea, the natural ventilation, all of those ideas came from Foster—he's an architectural genius. One of the most inspiring and exciting building designs I've ever seen.
    edited June 2016 baconstangsingularityanton zuykovjbdragon
  • Reply 4 of 35
    boboliciousbobolicious Posts: 1,139member
    The House that Jobs built is yet another testament to his passion and talent for creating beautiful and useful objects. 
    ...indeed, yet are the architects, engineers, design & construction professionals & countless other crafts inherent in that...? Is the judgement to engage assistance & foster :) good design also prescient, and yet perhaps political will the most appropriate credit, along with a willingness to inspire the best in such, or at least not override...? As I recall to paraphrase Ive - the fragility of a whisper of a transcendent idea is so easy to quash...
    ration almacky the mackyksec
  • Reply 5 of 35
    zoetmbzoetmb Posts: 2,654member
    Early 2017?   Just half a year away?  From the last flyover video that I saw, I doubt that highly based on progress to date.  I'd bet occupancy in a year might be a bit more accurate.   (No need to argue, time will tell).  

    This facility seems so huge, I wonder how efficient it will be for employees:  how long will it take from the time they drive onto the campus until they arrive at their desks?   How long to get from one side of the building to the other, to meet with another employee or have a group meeting?   How long to get to and from the cafeteria?   How long to get out of the place at night when large numbers of people might be leaving at once?   These are all things that can substantially eat into hours actually worked, but more importantly, eat into morale.  On the other hand, if the campus works and if it's a beautiful place to work, that can raise morale and productivity.   Will it increase interaction, as Steve suggested it would, or decrease it?

    And while if the passive AC works, that would be fantastic and while this is relatively cool Northern California, I wonder how effective it's really going to be especially if all that glass causes an internal greenhouse effect.  This building seems so complex that I bet there's going to be a long shake-out period.    This isn't your standard steel, brick, glass, sheetrock, HVAC, electrical lines construction in a rectangle that every commercial construction company knows how to do.   

      
  • Reply 6 of 35
    schlackschlack Posts: 719member
    a beautiful, innovative, and inspiring workspace gives rise to a more creative and productive staff. it also helps with recruitment and retention of the best engineers and managers. foolish of some posters here to not see the connection.
    bobschlobmacky the mackymac_dogpropodirelandjr_b
  • Reply 7 of 35
    bobschlobbobschlob Posts: 1,074member

    schlack said:
    a beautiful, innovative, and inspiring workspace gives rise to a more creative and productive staff. it also helps with recruitment and retention of the best engineers and managers. foolish of some posters here to not see the connection.
    What that guy said:
    macky the macky
  • Reply 8 of 35
    phone-ui-guyphone-ui-guy Posts: 1,019member


    Crappy iPhone 5S (zoomed in 100%) pic of Apple Campus 2 as seen on Thursday just after takeoff out of San Jose International. 
    edited June 2016 irelandcaccamucca
  • Reply 10 of 35
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    Um I'm pretty sure the people that work on Campus 2 are not the same people working on Apple products.
  • Reply 11 of 35
    fotoformatfotoformat Posts: 302member


    Nice find, thanks... and yes, 'related' also as a testament to beautiful design and a superb manufacturing process.
    reshma-krishnanbobschlobjr_b
  • Reply 12 of 35
    This building will have so much hidden innovation!
  • Reply 13 of 35
    Hopefully it is built to withstand a 9+ on the Richter scale earthquake.
    ksec
  • Reply 14 of 35
    ksecksec Posts: 1,569member
    I couldn't give two... about this new building honestly.
    I think you need the read the reason why Steve designed this Campus, the idea and value behind it. 

    I wish there could be a book on all the design details and construction of Apple Campus 2.
    patchythepirate
  • Reply 15 of 35
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    Um I'm pretty sure the people that work on Campus 2 are not the same people working on Apple products.

    I'm pretty sure that the people who designed Cook's spectacles are not the same people working on Apple products. What's your point?
    patchythepirate
  • Reply 16 of 35
    macapfelmacapfel Posts: 575member
    From Apple Maps, it looks like 2017 is definitely doable:


  • Reply 17 of 35
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Hopefully it is built to withstand a 9+ on the Richter scale earthquake.
    The first rest that I thought when seeing pics of the proposed building is tha I wouldn't want to be near it during an earth quake. These later pictures just reinforce that thought. The place just doesn't look earth quake safe at all.
  • Reply 18 of 35
    ppietrappietra Posts: 288member
    zoetmb said:
    Early 2017?   Just half a year away?  From the last flyover video that I saw, I doubt that highly based on progress to date.  I'd bet occupancy in a year might be a bit more accurate.   (No need to argue, time will tell).  

    This facility seems so huge, I wonder how efficient it will be for employees:  how long will it take from the time they drive onto the campus until they arrive at their desks?   How long to get from one side of the building to the other, to meet with another employee or have a group meeting?   How long to get to and from the cafeteria?   How long to get out of the place at night when large numbers of people might be leaving at once?   These are all things that can substantially eat into hours actually worked, but more importantly, eat into morale.  On the other hand, if the campus works and if it's a beautiful place to work, that can raise morale and productivity.   Will it increase interaction, as Steve suggested it would, or decrease it?

    And while if the passive AC works, that would be fantastic and while this is relatively cool Northern California, I wonder how effective it's really going to be especially if all that glass causes an internal greenhouse effect.  This building seems so complex that I bet there's going to be a long shake-out period.    This isn't your standard steel, brick, glass, sheetrock, HVAC, electrical lines construction in a rectangle that every commercial construction company knows how to do.   

      
    It’s Apple’s schedule so it must be possible since we haven’t heard of any additional delays.
    The maximum walking distance from one place to another in the building would be around 2500 feet, 10 minutes, though I assume that people will be organized in such a way that very few people would have to walk that distance for a meeting. There are several cafes in the building so not every one would need to go to the cafeteria if they are in a hurry.
    For those who have an underground parking space it will probably not take very long to leave. For the other parking structure it is quite a long walk, but I imagine that there will eventually be some sort of shuttle in campus.
  • Reply 19 of 35
    macapfelmacapfel Posts: 575member
    ppietra said:but I imagine that there will eventually be some sort of shuttle in campus.
    Self driving, electric Apple cars that will pick you up at your designated parking lot, all organised through CarPlay.
    slprescott
  • Reply 20 of 35
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    wizard69 said:
    Hopefully it is built to withstand a 9+ on the Richter scale earthquake.
    The first rest that I thought when seeing pics of the proposed building is tha I wouldn't want to be near it during an earth quake. These later pictures just reinforce that thought. The place just doesn't look earth quake safe at all.

    Yes, because when they decided to spend $6billion on a building in an earthquake zone, they chose to get advice from structural engineers and architects, rather than a random bods on AppleInsider.

    What the hell were they thinking??

    I'm one of the random bods obviously, but at least I tried a basic internet search: is Apple Campus 2 earthquake proof.

    And to the surprise of no one, it is, because the building codes require it. That's right: it's the law. Many buildings in the area have been retrofitted to make the grade.

    http://wow-webmagazine.com/apple-campus-2-the-construction-of-the-fosters-spaceship-in-cupertino-is-progressing#.V11O0Ff1-Ls

    The building walls are constructed of earthquake-resistant materials which they would need to keep the glass in place. If one of those sheets slipped out of its mounts, then it could potentially kill hundreds.

    The whole structure is mounted on base isolators designed to absorb the shock of an earthquake. The building will move on top of these isolators without collapsing. If it's a really big quake though, I reckon some people will vomit from the movement (that should keep the naysayers happy). These are apparently being retrofitted in buildings in the danger zone.

    This one is a personal observation I would make which disagrees with yours. Rather than being a very tall, very thin pencil, the campus is a squat wide donut. That is much better shape for an earthquake zone. Aside from being stronger, it will make it a lot easier for rescue services if they don't have to retrieve people from very high up. 

    One aside I picked up: the campus will have a working fruit farm, so at least the workers will have something to eat while they're waiting for the president to make his disaster appearance.


    hypoluxaai46baconstangjax44patchythepirate
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