The City of Cupertino has released Apple’s revised campus plans, following the recent news criticizing Steve Job’s “sky-high requirements for fit and finish” that have resulted in a “ballooning budget."
Abandoning Apple’s classic “white” detailing, architects Foster + Partners have opted to clad the 2.8 million square foot, circular monolith in black - a stylistic remedy that seems to be in line with the overarching campus goal to “provide a serene environment reflecting Apple’s brand values of innovation, ease of use and beauty.”
More details after the break...
Working to shave a reported $1 billion from the $5 billion budget, the revised campus plans have removed 300,000 square feet of construction costs by pushing the entire Tantau Development to Phase 2. As explained in the project description, “Phase 2 includes 600,000 square feet of office, research and development buildings for up to 2,200 employees along North Tantau Avenue, providing flexibility to address future business needs. Construction of Phase 2 will follow completion of Phase 1. The Tantau sites will have small satellite plants.”
In addition to this, the refined site plan seems to have prioritized its multimodal transportation goals as an expanded section details bicycle access improvements with the integration of “enhanced bike lanes”, which lure pedaling commuters with buffered lanes.
Also notable in the plan is a minor increase to parking availability and updates to public improvements, as well as a new section on Public Art that details four locations where the company plans to install art near the campus.
With a primary goal of promoting creativity and collaboration, the 176-acre campus will consolidate the current disjointed assemblage of aging corporate facilities into a single high performance office, research and development building, with supporting facilities, for 14,200 Apple employees.
The campus’ centerpiece - the signature 4-story Main Building - is designed to hold 12,000 of those employees. It will offer state-of-the-art meeting and office space, along with a 60,000 square foot dining space whose outdoor terrace will extend into the lush orchard and woodlands of the building’s inner courtyard.
Separate facilities to be constructed in Phase 1 include a 100,000 square foot corporate fitness center, a 1,000-seat Corporate Auditorium, and a four-story parking garage near Interstate 280 - which, along with the Main Building’s expansive underground parking garage, will accommodate for 10,980 cars.
The campus is set to achieve “net-zero energy” by offsetting energy use with 700,000 square feet of rooftop solar panels (enough to generate 8 megawatts of power), along with additional contracts for solar and wind power and climate responsive window dressings. In addition, the project will replace existing asphalt and hardscape with over 100 acres of landscaped green space reminiscent of the natural California landscape, including the use of native and drought-tolerant vegetation, while a compact land use plan will reduce building and parking footprints. Minimize use of potable water will be achieved through using recycled water, if available as a result of projects now under consideration, and improve runoff by increasing permeable surfaces.
The completion date has been reset to 2016.
