Latest aerial footage of Apple's Campus 2 shows start of work on 'spaceship's' garden & pond

Posted:
in General Discussion
The latest drone footage of Apple's new "Spaceship" headquarters under construction shows a much more complete structure, plus the start of work on niceties in the center of the facility and elsewhere.




Previous videos have shown the interior structure of the building, which is now shown as partially clad by the curved glass panels, measuring up to 46 feet wide, and 10.5 feet long.

Other work progression shown in the video includes near-completion of the parking structure with the buried facility in the process of being covered by dirt, the start of the security stand, and the beginning of the artificial pond creation in the open core of the headquarters.

The video also shows the start of work on satellite facilities to the main campus, such as research centers, and the maintenance structure. Additionally, more solar arrays are in the process of being installed, with a large number staged for the remainder of installation on the roof of the main headquarters, and elsewhere.



In 2011, Steve Jobs announced the project to the world, saying over 12,000 employees would work in the 2.8-million-square-foot "Spaceship" structure. Edible landscaping, walking paths, and other "green" improvements are in the process of construction, to minimize the impact the facility makes on the environment.







Apple's related Phase 2 adjacent project adds additional workspace, and includes a renewable energy-powered small data center.

Apple's microgrid is reportedly capable of handling about 75 percent of Campus 2 power requirements during work hours, supplemented by Bloom Energy-provided fuel cells. Bloom Energy provided similar cells, currently in use at Apple's North Carolina data center.

Campus 2 is expected to be completed by the end of 2016.
«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 23
    red oakred oak Posts: 1,087member
    Beautiful.  Well done video 

    Imagine the products that will come out of this place over the next fifty years
    auxiocalipropodnolamacguymnbob1lostkiwijbdragonSoli
  • Reply 2 of 23
    aaarrrggghaaarrrgggh Posts: 1,609member
    It really seems hard to believe an end of year move-in date, unless more than half of the campus is in a "shell" state.  That wouldn't be all that unreasonable, but I would expect occupancy to be more spread out than construction suggests...

    My guess looking at the video would be more like April move-in at the earliest.
    propodzoetmb
  • Reply 3 of 23
    coolfactorcoolfactor Posts: 2,239member
    Absolutely beautiful story being told by these videos. Thank you, AppleInsider.
    nolamacguymnbob1lostkiwiiqatedo
  • Reply 4 of 23
    Is the security kiosk the back of iPhone 8 Pro? /s
  • Reply 5 of 23
    saltyzipsaltyzip Posts: 193member
    How do people get around such a huge structure, is there an in built hyperloop to take you to the meeting rooms ?
  • Reply 6 of 23
    zoetmbzoetmb Posts: 2,654member
    No way is that Apple spaceship going to be ready for occupancy in just 21 weeks and it's unlikely that people would move in in December anyway because so many people are on vacation and everyone else is wrapping up the fiscal year.   Even April of 2017 is probably pushing it.   I think we're talking mid-year.  

       
  • Reply 7 of 23
    volcanvolcan Posts: 1,799member
    That is some high quality drone video. Looks like it was shot on a Sunday. No one is there. I'm pretty sure Apple would disapprove of of that airspace trespassing but I enjoyed it.
  • Reply 8 of 23
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    That video is stupendous. The scale of the work going on boggles the mind. It will be a spectacular HQ indeed. 
    jbdragon
  • Reply 9 of 23
    pembrokepembroke Posts: 230member
    Astonishing. I wasn't aware so many peripheral buildings were part of the site. What a canvas for the landscaper!
    jbdragon
  • Reply 10 of 23
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,335member
    The new campus is extremely impressive and is a huge public symbol of Apple's success over the past decade plus. Will it make Apple's products better? Only if they can fill it with highly engaged employees who love doing what they do and are dedicated to making their customers happier. The building sets the stage and provides the physical surroundings for Apple employees to do great things but the corporate culture plays a far greater role than does the facility.  

    That's the big challenge ahead for Tim Cook, to make sure that Apple can attract and retain the people with the best minds, skills, and dedication to work inside this grand palace. The wow factor and impressiveness of the building will bring attention and job seekers but it's the ordinary and everyday things that take place within the hull of this supership that will determine whether people stick around.

     I think it will work out,  but my biggest concern about this showplace and others is that it creates a pseudo universe and distances employees further from the customers they serve. It also encourages employees to spend too much time at work away from their families, friends, and the real world. Hopefully Tim and his leadership staff will keep everyone grounded in reality and make sure employees have balance in their lives and don't get physically, mentally, or morally lost in the vastness of the glassy monolith. 
     
  • Reply 11 of 23
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Great video, really gives a sense of scale to the project. It's shaping up nicely; here's hoping other companies get some inspiration to improve their drab, boring corporate headquarters.
    edited August 2016 nolamacguy
  • Reply 12 of 23
    dachardachar Posts: 330member
    zoetmb said:
    No way is that Apple spaceship going to be ready for occupancy in just 21 weeks and it's unlikely that people would move in in December anyway because so many people are on vacation and everyone else is wrapping up the fiscal year.   Even April of 2017 is probably pushing it.   I think we're talking mid-year.  

       

    For the whole site I think it is more likely the end 2017 as some of the buildings shown were only just coming out of the ground with just a few columns If they have a phased opening and there was no conflict with the remaining building works then I agree that the main office could be ready in about 9 months. If they are using "pods" constructed off site for the installation of things like the toilets this could dramatically speed up the internal fitting out and shorten the completion time. 

  • Reply 13 of 23
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    crowley said:
    Great video, really gives a sense of scale to the project. It's shaping up nicely; here's hoping other companies get some inspiration to improve their drab, boring corporate headquarters.
    It is a great video of what I also hope is a transformational building.
    edited August 2016
  • Reply 14 of 23
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    sog35 said:
    So this is where are the money is going.

    Instead of giving us a brand new phone shell this year they spend the money on a UFO.
    It is a shell who really cares?   It is what is inside that counts.  
    edited August 2016
  • Reply 15 of 23
    dewme said:

     I think it will work out,  but my biggest concern about this showplace and others is that it creates a pseudo universe and distances employees further from the customers they serve. It also encourages employees to spend too much time at work away from their families, friends, and the real world. Hopefully Tim and his leadership staff will keep everyone grounded in reality and make sure employees have balance in their lives and don't get physically, mentally, or morally lost in the vastness of the glassy monolith. 
     

    I don't think you need to be concerned.  We had the privilege of interfacing most of the team that were developing the original Mac before it was announced.  They often wore T-Shirts saying Working 100 hours [a week]  and Loving it. They came together for a project they really believed in, gave it their total commitment to bring it to market.  Some had families but I believe the families did not suffer -- rather were supportive of their passions.  In a way, it's like giving birth -- the time for celebration and socializing comes later.

    If you want to learn about what inspires employees to perform like this, I suggest the timeless book: "The Soul of a New Machine".

    edited August 2016 ai46stourquepatchythepirateSpamSandwich
  • Reply 16 of 23
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    dewme said:

     I think it will work out,  but my biggest concern about this showplace and others is that it creates a pseudo universe and distances employees further from the customers they serve. It also encourages employees to spend too much time at work away from their families, friends, and the real world. Hopefully Tim and his leadership staff will keep everyone grounded in reality and make sure employees have balance in their lives and don't get physically, mentally, or morally lost in the vastness of the glassy monolith. 
     

    I don't think you need to be concerned.  We had the privilege of interfacing most of the team that were developing the original Mac before it was announced.  They often wore T-Shirts saying Working 100 hours [a week]  and Loving it. They came together for a project they really believed in, gave it their total commitment to bring it to market.  Some had families but I believe the families did not suffer -- rather were supportive of their passions.  In a way, it's like giving birth -- the time for celebration and socializing comes later.

    If you want to learn about what inspires employees to perform like this, I suggest the timeless book: "The Soul of a New Machine".

    Interesting post! Thanks
    ai46
  • Reply 17 of 23
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,822member
    Adding my voice to the chorus! The scope of the work, the variety of facilities and required plant is astounding. I grew up with buildings under construction and like nothing more than to walk around a building site. Tim, if you're reading this, drop me a line hahahaha.  :D
  • Reply 18 of 23
    badmonkbadmonk Posts: 1,286member
    They need to make a genetically modified T-Rex (Apple-Rex) inside the ring watch it eat cloned Google executives and Steve Balmer for lunchtime entertainment 
  • Reply 19 of 23
    Great video!

    By the way, "dirt" is something that you get on yourself or on your clothes and needs to be washed off. 
    The parking area will be covered by layers of earth. 
  • Reply 20 of 23
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    It really seems hard to believe an end of year move-in date, unless more than half of the campus is in a "shell" state.  That wouldn't be all that unreasonable, but I would expect occupancy to be more spread out than construction suggests...

    My guess looking at the video would be more like April move-in at the earliest.
    zoetmb said:
    No way is that Apple spaceship going to be ready for occupancy in just 21 weeks and it's unlikely that people would move in in December anyway because so many people are on vacation and everyone else is wrapping up the fiscal year.   Even April of 2017 is probably pushing it.   I think we're talking mid-year.  
    I've been reading on these forums that "Apple is behind schedule" since this project started. I'm just not seeing it. Go back 5 months, which is how much time we have left in the year to compare where AC2 was then to where it is now. 



    Now check out their own stated timeline on the Cupertino city website.


    Not only does it seem like it's all on-schedule, but ahead of schedule. That isn't to say that there haven't been or won't be some delays (things happen), but so far, the material that I believe would have caused the biggest time delays—the specialized curved glass—hasn't had an issue despite Apple relying on a single company in Bavaria to make and ship them to Cupertino.

    Why can't you can't imagine that that a single section of the ring will have glass on both sides, HVAC, electrical, water, sewage, and elevators in working order, a proper network setup, be furnished, and be ready for a small team to work from for testing sometime this year. And now consider that Apple isn't just building a single ring, but many building, which also could allow for some workers to make the shift from 1 Infinity Loop or another site to test the situation before the all sections, rooms, and floors are complete.
    edited August 2016 patchythepirate
Sign In or Register to comment.