Samsung Electronics will enter the Silicon Valley rivalry for best technology-oriented campus with its new headquarters design. The 1.1 million-sf San Jose campus, calculated to give Apple, Facebook and other local high-tech firms a run for their architectural money, will support at least 2,500 sales and R&D staff in Samsung's semiconductor and display businesses.
A pair of linked, 10-story office buildings, encompassing a combined 680,000 sf, will be the hallmark structure. Extensive "green floors" will be provided on every third story, creating a stack of alternating enclosed and open spaces. The gardens will be available to employees for informal breaks and organized recreation. Adjacent facilities will be connected by elevated walkways.
In addition to offices, the program includes research space, a cleanroom, a data center, basketball and sports courts, and cafés in a star-shaped amenities building. A parking structure for more than 1,500 vehicles will feature a rooftop solar array. NBBJ, also the architect behind the recently announced Google Bay View campus, is helming the project.
Samsung Information Systems America is getting new quarters as well. The company has signed a 15-year lease for two six-story buildings in Mountain View's Cypress Business Park, comprising about 385,000 sf.
The state of California is providing an R&D tax credit and an unspecified reimbursement for employee training. The city of San Jose is pitching in with a reduction of traffic impact fees (by more than 50%), a 75%+ reduction in construction taxes, a 50% rebate of up to half of utility taxes for 10 years, and a direct $500,000 economic incentive.
(http://articles.latimes.com/2013/feb/18/business/la-fi-samsung-silicon-valley-20130218)
Related Stories
| Mar 21, 2014
Forget wood skyscrapers - Check out these stunning bamboo high-rise concepts [slideshow]
The Singapore Bamboo Skyscraper competition invited design teams to explore the possibilities of using bamboo as the dominant material in a high-rise project for the Singapore skyline.
| Mar 21, 2014
Pier Carlo Bontempi to receive Richard H. Driehaus Prize from Notre Dame
Established in 2003 by the Notre Dame School of Architecture, the $200,000 Richard H. Driehaus Prize is awarded to a living architect whose work embodies the highest ideals of traditional and classical architecture in contemporary society, and creates a positive cultural, environmental and artistic impact.
| Mar 21, 2014
How to get more referrals
If you’re having a hard time attracting new referrals, here are a few techniques for increasing the number of interactions with potential clients.
| Mar 20, 2014
Common EIFS failures, and how to prevent them
Poor workmanship, impact damage, building movement, and incompatible or unsound substrate are among the major culprits of EIFS problems.
| Mar 20, 2014
D.C. breaks ground on $2B mega waterfront development [slideshow]
When complete, the Wharf will feature approximately 3 million sf of new residential, office, hotel, retail, cultural, and public uses, including waterfront parks, promenades, piers, and docks.
| Mar 20, 2014
13 dazzling wood building designs [slideshow]
From bold structural glulam designs to striking textured wall and ceiling schemes, these award-winning building projects showcase the design possibilities using wood.
| Mar 20, 2014
Fluor defines the future 7D deliverable without losing sight of real results today
A fascinating client story by Fluor SVP Robert Prieto reminds us that sometimes it’s the simplest details that can bring about real results today—and we shouldn’t overlook them, even as we push to change the future state of project facilitation.
| Mar 19, 2014
Architecture Billings Index shows slight improvement
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported that the February ABI score was 50.7, up slightly from a mark of 50.4 in January.
| Mar 19, 2014
Gehry, Zaha, Foster, Meier: Vote for your top 'starchitect' in this March Madness design legends tourney
Fast Company's Bracket Madness tournament pits 32 designers against each other to see who truly is the world's greatest living designer.
| Mar 19, 2014
Is it time to start selecting your own clients?
Will 2014 be the year that design firms start selecting the clients they want rather than getting in line with competitors to respond to RFPs? That’s the question posed by a recent thought-provoking article.