It has happened! Apple's futuristic headquarters project has been approved by the Cupertino City Planning Commission. The incredible building resembles a spaceship that landed in the middle of apple orchards. The four-storey building with an area of 250,000 sq.m. will be able to accommodate 12,000 employees. It will be an addition to the existing headquarters on Infinite Loop Street, designed for 2,800 people.
The project of the new campus was presented in June 2011, when Steve Jobs himself was engaged in it. Everything is arranged in it the way the former head of Apple wanted: lots of light, spacious halls and apple orchards. Only curved glass will be used in the building, and a park of 6,000 trees will be located in the center of the "flying saucer". It is noteworthy that the building will generate electricity for itself. A system based on natural gas and solar panels, which will be installed on the roof, will help him in this. In addition, the plan provides for the construction of a presentation hall and a cafe for 3,000 visitors.
The project was developed by the architectural firm Foster + Partners. Their portfolio includes the reconstruction of the Reichstag building in Berlin, the design of the Hearst Tower in New York, and the Millennium Bridge in London. The construction of such an extravagant building will cost Apple $5 billion, which is one and a half times higher than previous calculations. It is expected that the campus will be able to open its doors in 2016.
