The idea of Amazon’s new second headquarters, planned for Arlington, Va., is to connect the community.
Sure, doing business is the need that is driving the creation of the second headquarters campus of the mammoth retailer, but that campus is being planned with the surrounding community in mind, as well.
“We are looking to build an urban campus that will allow our employees to think creatively, to be a part of the surrounding community, and to remain connected to the region’s unique culture and environment,” writes John Schoettler, on Amazon’s blog. “As with our Seattle headquarters, we plan to invest in developing a new headquarters in Arlington that will grow alongside its neighbors, supporting local businesses, building new public spaces for all to enjoy, and integrating sustainable design features throughout our campus.”
See Also: Amazon will not build HQ2 in New York City
Last week, Amazon filed development plans with local officials, and the company also announced that the Amazon HQ2 is part of the Metropolitan Park site. That site is an urban renewal project in National Landing.
“The first phase of our ‘ground-up’ construction will see the redevelopment of a block of vacant warehouses into two new LEED Gold-certified buildings, new retail space for area businesses, and plenty of open space for the community to enjoy. These buildings are the first step to creating an urban campus where our future 25,000 employees and the local community can live, work and play,” Schoettler says.
The campus will include more than 2 million SF of LEED-certified office buildings, which will have outdoor terraces for employees. A day care center, plus 50,000 sf of shops and restaurants, will bring more of a community feel to the campus. A multipurpose one-acre park, plus easy bike access to the spot, will further enhance that community feel.
Related Stories
| Apr 15, 2014
12 award-winning structural steel buildings
Zaha Hadid's Broad Art Museum and One World Trade Center are among the projects honored by the American Institute of Steel Construction for excellence in structural steel design.
| Apr 15, 2014
Chipperfield's sparkling brass-clad scheme selected to be new home of Nobel Prize
The distinctive building, with its shimmering vertical brass elements and glass façade design, beat out two other finalists in the Nobel Center architectural competition.
| Apr 11, 2014
ULI report documents business case for building healthy projects
Sustainable and wellness-related design strategies embody a strong return on investment, according to a report by the Urban Land Institute.
| Apr 11, 2014
First look: KPF's designs for DreamWorks in the massive Shanghai DreamCenter
Two blocks of offices will be centerpiece of new cultural and lifestyle district in the West Bund Media Port.
| Apr 9, 2014
Steel decks: 11 tips for their proper use | BD+C
Building Teams have been using steel decks with proven success for 75 years. Building Design+Construction consulted with technical experts from the Steel Deck Institute and the deck manufacturing industry for their advice on how best to use steel decking.
| Apr 2, 2014
8 tips for avoiding thermal bridges in window applications
Aligning thermal breaks and applying air barriers are among the top design and installation tricks recommended by building enclosure experts.
| Mar 31, 2014
Removable flood prevention system installed in one of New York City's largest office buildings
EKO Flood Protection created a flood prevention solution for one of New York City's largest office buildings, 55 Water Street, that can be put up in 8 hours by a crew of 30 people.
| Mar 26, 2014
Callison launches sustainable design tool with 84 proven strategies
Hybrid ventilation, nighttime cooling, and fuel cell technology are among the dozens of sustainable design techniques profiled by Callison on its new website, Matrix.Callison.com.
| Mar 25, 2014
World's tallest towers: Adrian Smith, Gordon Gill discuss designing Burj Khalifa, Kingdom Tower
The design duo discusses the founding of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architects and the design of the next world's tallest, Kingdom Tower, which will top the Burj Khalifa by as much as a kilometer.
| Mar 24, 2014
Frank Lloyd Wright's S.C. Johnson Research Tower to open to the public—32 years after closing
The 14-story tower, one of only two Wright-designed high-rises to be built, has been off limits to the public since its construction in 1950.