Apple's Campus 2 headquarters to feature visitor center with observation deck, store

Posted:
in General Discussion edited July 2015
Apple has plans to build a dedicated visitor's center at its upcoming Campus 2 headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., that will offer views of the main "spaceship" building at the heart of the development and retail opportunities, planning documents show.


Rendering of Apple's Campus 2 visitor's center. | Source: Apple


Spotted by the Silicon Valley Business Journal, plans for Apple's Campus 2 visitor's center describe a free-standing glass-walled structure done up to match the so-called "spaceship" main building.

The two-story center will boast a 2,386-square-foot cafe and 10,114-square-foot store topped by a carbon fiber roof and observation deck situated 23 feet above ground level. Other amenities include stairs, elevators and 684 underground parking spaces. Apple tentatively pegs visitor center hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends.



Apple's Campus 2 project has seen its share of setbacks, including budget overruns, contractor shakeups and construction delays. Apple has since taken measures to keep a more watchful eye on development issues as the ring-shaped main structure slowly rises.

The headquarters is slated to hold about 12,000 employees in the main structure, with secondary buildings accommodating research and development, business and other staff offices. Apple expects to move in by late 2016.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 23
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,056member
    There's a sculpture of Steve Jobs that's been surplussed by Putin. Maybe get that for display?
  • Reply 2 of 23
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    I think it looks really nice.

    ac2-visitor-center-hero-shot.jpg
  • Reply 3 of 23
    macvictamacvicta Posts: 346member
    I was hoping for a monorail.
  • Reply 4 of 23
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    Can't wait for it to be done. I need a new "I visited the mothership " tee.
  • Reply 5 of 23
    haggarhaggar Posts: 1,568member



    What application is used for those renderings?

  • Reply 6 of 23
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MacVicta View Post



    I was hoping for a monorail.



    Needs a fake mountain on the campus as well.

  • Reply 7 of 23
    freshmakerfreshmaker Posts: 532member
    Man, I can't imagine how long the line is going to be at that store on iPhone launch day
  • Reply 8 of 23
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member
    Quote:


     Apple's Campus 2 project has seen its share of setbacks, including budget overruns, contractorshakeups and construction delays.


     

    Was this really necessary? There's no evidence of actual, factual setbacks, apart from the facts that pretty much every significant construction project in history tends to be "over budget". 

  • Reply 9 of 23
    am8449am8449 Posts: 392member
    I think it would be neat to have an exhibit about Steve Jobs at the visitor center.

    I can picture glass cases with the various iconic outfits Steve wore over his lifetime, including his three-piece suits and of course, the famous black turtleneck, Levi's jeans, and New Balance sneakers.
  • Reply 10 of 23
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,275member
    "Other amenities include stairs, elevators and 684 underground parking spaces."

    Funny. These are all considered amenities.
  • Reply 11 of 23
    eightzero wrote: »
    There's a sculpture of Steve Jobs that's been surplussed by Putin. Maybe get that for display?

    Apple's doing a takeoff of a statue from North Korea titled "Great Leader." Steve deserves nothing less
  • Reply 12 of 23
    freshmaker wrote: »
    Man, I can't imagine how long the line is going to be at that store on iPhone launch day

    The line at the visitor center store will be limited due to only 684 underground parking spaces for the buyers.... now the line to get INTO the 684 parking spaces will be visible from the International Space Station....
  • Reply 13 of 23
    5150iii5150iii Posts: 96member
    I will definately visit this campus next time I get to California!
  • Reply 14 of 23
    bobschlobbobschlob Posts: 1,074member

    Yay! I commented about hoping for this a long time ago. (people said no way).

    I can't wait for the grand tour!!  :D

  • Reply 15 of 23
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Slurpy View Post

     

     

    Was this really necessary? There's no evidence of actual, factual setbacks, apart from the facts that pretty much every significant construction project in history tends to be "over budget". 




    I completely agree with you. Everyone is always waited to throw punches against Apple.

  • Reply 16 of 23
    fred1fred1 Posts: 1,112member
    Whoever wrote the article should have read the plan: "Visitor center parking 150 spaces".

    And why aren't the plan and other renderings in the article on the iPad app????? Or in the original article on the iPhone app and only in the comments view version????
  • Reply 17 of 23
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member

    Apple's computers are great and all, my favourite brand, but I don't really understand the appeal of wanting to visit their HQ.

  • Reply 18 of 23
    zoetmbzoetmb Posts: 2,654member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ascii View Post

     

    Apple's computers are great and all, my favourite brand, but I don't really understand the appeal of wanting to visit their HQ.




    Especially since I think the purpose of the visitor's center is to keep people away from the main building and other Apple facilities.   Looks to me like it's going to be nothing more than a store (albeit a decently sized one) and café with an observation deck at the incredible height of 23 feet.   Wow!  I hope they have medical staff nearby to support visitors who will get vertigo at those incredible heights.    

     

    And it's going to have stairs and elevators!!!   How innovative.    

     

    While I'm not a local, I have to believe that other Apple stores nearby are more convenient.   We'll see how long this lasts.   My bet is that the space gets repurposed within two years after opening.     And I'm not sure I understand how only 150 parking spaces (presumably including spaces for staff) are going to be enough for a 10,000 square foot store.   I've seen more than that many people in much smaller Apple stores at one time.   

  • Reply 19 of 23
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Hmm...I just noticed this tidbit in the New Yorker piece on Jony Ive.

    [quote]Pinned to a wall were alternate versions of a visitor reception center, separate from the loop. Seen from above, both were modified rectangles. One, marked “Pill,” had half-circles at either end. The other ended in a more familiar Apple way, and was labelled “iPhone.” “We should be done, but we’re still redoing and redoing,” Ive said. He had recently introduced the iPhone option, partly for fear that a visitor approaching the Pill by its rounded ends might mistake it for an echo of the main building. He had also insisted—“a big fight”—on simplifying the control panels of the Mitsubishi elevators.[/quote]

    The drawing included with this story sure looks like the pill option. It would be interesting to see the different mockups and compare them to what was finally decided.
  • Reply 20 of 23
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    ascii wrote: »
    Apple's computers are great and all, my favourite brand, but I don't really understand the appeal of wanting to visit their HQ.

    Why do people want to see Abbey Road and childhood homes of famous people? Hell, people see graves of famous people too.

    It's getting that personal connection to something you like.
    zoetmb wrote: »

    Especially since I think the purpose of the visitor's center is to keep people away from the main building and other Apple facilities.   Looks to me like it's going to be nothing more than a store (albeit a decently sized one) and café with an observation deck at the incredible height of 23 feet.   Wow!  I hope they have medical staff nearby to support visitors who will get vertigo at those incredible heights.    

    And it's going to have stairs and elevators!!!   How innovative.    

    While I'm not a local, I have to believe that other Apple stores nearby are more convenient.   We'll see how long this lasts.   My bet is that the space gets repurposed within two years after opening.     And I'm not sure I understand how only 150 parking spaces (presumably including spaces for staff) are going to be enough for a 10,000 square foot store.   I've seen more than that many people in much smaller Apple stores at one time.   

    It may not be just an Apple Store but an Apple company store for both employees and visitors.

    The store at the current HQ is like that. I bought a keychain, tshirt, and retractable ID holders when I visited 5 years ago.
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