flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

First look: Revised plan for Amazon's Seattle HQ and 'biodome'

First look: Revised plan for Amazon's Seattle HQ and 'biodome'

Spheres will offer climate-controlled environment featuring "montane ecologies" of plants, plus space for work, shopping, and amenities.


By BD+C Staff | May 24, 2013

NBBJ has released renderings of a revised plan for Amazon's new three-block headquarters in Seattle. The proposal would replace a previously approved six-story office building with a three-unit "biodome": spheres that will hold large, mature trees and other plants in open, high-bay space. Retail stores are programmed for the ground floor of the spheres, which will comprise about 65,000 sf of space for work, dining, meetings, and recreation. Varied botanical zones will be created, based on diverse climate patterns.

The five-acre complex will also contain three 38-story office towers, providing some 3.3 million sf of space. Smaller, mixed-use buildings are also planned for the development, with facilities linked by pathways and green space.

The proposal is just the latest in a series of large-scale headquarters developments in the works or recently completed for the world's high-tech firms, including Apple, Google, Samsung, and Facebook. The renderings below, provided by NBBJ, give a feel for the proposal: a plum project for a city that already has what's touted as the world's greenest office building.

(http://www.fastcoexist.com/1682132/amazon-is-building-a-biosphere-for-its-employees#1)

 

Related Stories

Architects | Aug 18, 2022

GSA names Charles Hardy, AIA, CCM, Chief Architect at GSA Public Buildings Service

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has named Charles (Chuck) Hardy as GSA’s next Chief Architect, effective August 14, 2022. A licensed architect, workplace strategist, and certified construction manager, Hardy’s career with GSA spans more than 31 years, beginning in GSA’s Great Lakes Region as an architect and project manager. 

| Aug 18, 2022

U.S. Treasury moves to boost affordable housing

The Department of the Treasury recently announced new guidance to “increase the ability of state, local, and tribal governments to use American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to boost the supply of affordable housing in their communities,” according to a news release.

Daylighting | Aug 18, 2022

Lisa Heschong on 'Thermal and Visual Delight in Architecture'

Lisa Heschong, FIES, discusses her books, "Thermal Delight in Architecture" and "Visual Delight in Architecture," with BD+C's Rob Cassidy. 

| Aug 18, 2022

The Illinois Institute of Technology restores three Mies van der Rohe buildings

With Dirk Denison Architects and Gilbane Building Company, the Illinois Institute of Technology has recently completed a $70 million housing project that has restored three Ludwig Mies van der Rohe buildings.

Multifamily Housing | Aug 17, 2022

California strip mall goes multifamily residential

Tiny Tim Plaza started out as a gas station and a dozen or so stores. Now it’s a thriving mixed-use community, minus the gas station.

| Aug 17, 2022

Focusing on building envelope design and commissioning

Building envelope design is constantly evolving as new products and assemblies are developed.

| Aug 17, 2022

New York to deploy 30,000 window-sized electric heat pumps in city-owned apartments

New York officials recently announced the state and the city will invest $70 million to roll out 30,000 window-sized electric heat pumps in city-owned apartments.

| Aug 17, 2022

IBM’s former office buildings in Boca Raton turn into a modern tech campus

Built in 1968, the Boca Raton Innovation Campus (BRiC), at 1.7 million square feet, is the largest office campus in Florida.

| Aug 16, 2022

DOE funds 18 projects developing tech to enable buildings to store carbon

The Department of Energy announced $39 million in awards for 18 projects that are developing technologies to transform buildings into net carbon storage structures.

| Aug 16, 2022

Multifamily holds strong – for now

All leading indicators show that the multifamily sector is shrugging off rising interest rates, inflationary pressures and other economic challenges, and will continue to be a torrid market for design and construction firms for at least the rest of 2022.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category

Construction Costs

Data center construction costs for 2024

Gordian’s data features more than 100 building models, including computer data centers. These localized models allow architects, engineers, and other preconstruction professionals to quickly and accurately create conceptual estimates for future builds. This table shows a five-year view of costs per square foot for one-story computer data centers. 


Sustainability

Grimshaw launches free online tool to help accelerate decarbonization of buildings

Minoro, an online platform to help accelerate the decarbonization of buildings, was recently launched by architecture firm Grimshaw, in collaboration with more than 20 supporting organizations including World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), RIBA, Architecture 2030, the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) and several national Green Building Councils from across the globe.



Healthcare Facilities

Watch on-demand: Key Trends in the Healthcare Facilities Market for 2024-2025

Join the Building Design+Construction editorial team for this on-demand webinar on key trends, innovations, and opportunities in the $65 billion U.S. healthcare buildings market. A panel of healthcare design and construction experts present their latest projects, trends, innovations, opportunities, and data/research on key healthcare facilities sub-sectors. A 2024-2025 U.S. healthcare facilities market outlook is also presented.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021