a $4 billion downtown seattle office project from amazon is now open, revealing a mini rainforest – dubbed the amazon spheres – contained within three biosphere domes. dubbed ‘the spheres’, the glass orbs have no enclosed offices, conference spaces, or desks, and will be a place for amazon workers to escape from the drudges of everyday office life. employees can meet in tree houses suspended under towering trees or walk along stone paths beside waterfalls decorated with some 400 species of plants.
image courtesy of NBJJ
following seven years of planning, at an unveiling event today amazon CEO jeff bezos took to the podium to introduce the firm’s new seattle spheres office space. the HQ comprises of three steel-framed, glass-enclosed spheres – the tallest of which is 90 feet tall and 130 feet in diameter, bloomberg news reported. they are home to more than 40,000 plants from around the world creating a tropical-like environment and botanical immersion amongst the urban seattle landscape.
image via bloomberg
photo credit: mike kane/bloomberg
as well as tree house meeting rooms, rivers and waterfalls, across the three biospheres main features include a four-story living wall, paludariums and epiphytic trees. the climate of the mini-rainforest will be controlled, being held at a constant 72 degrees while the humidiity will be 60%. there is even a ventilation system that simulates an outdoor breeze. the spheres are a result of amazon’s studies into the improvement of office spaces by linking them to nature.
all other images courtesy of amazon
via seattlespheres.com
‘our goal with the spheres was to create a unique gathering place where employees could collaborate and innovate together, and where the Seattle community could gather to experience biodiversity in the center of the city,’ said john schoettler, amazon vice president of global real estate and facilities. ‘I am very proud and thankful to the entire team who made the spheres a reality – they did a terrific job from the design all the way to the finishing touches. we are thrilled to officially open the doors.’
said to have created more than 600 full-time jobs, the project will also provide educational opportunities to the seattle community through tours, field trips and partnerships with local schools and universities. the project has been designed by international firm NBBJ as reported by designboom during the application process 3 years ago, also responsible for amazon’s HQ1, which is also in seattle.
amazon’s living wall displays 25,000 plants woven into 4,000 square feet of mesh
all videos by amazon news
amazon explains why it planned to build the amazon spheres
community witnesses the first planting in the amazon spheres
NBBJ (6 articles)
NBBJ connects shenzhen towers with skybridges to form tencent's global HQ
NBBJ unveils plans to turn the london underground into a moving walkway
seattle approves amazon's biosphere headquarters by NBBJ
NBBJ unveils samsung headquarters in silicon valley
nbbj adds glass biospheres to amazon headquarters proposal
where people work (380 articles)
zampone architects renovates historical building of BBDO offices in brussels
shirli zamir design studio references tel aviv's skyline in the OTOMA offices
studio malka completes three-part design of the pernod ricard BIG offices in central paris
design news
randy grubb invents a magic double decker bus with elevator to boot
#design
step inside this two-story moving sculpture.
step inside this two-story moving sculpture.
snøhetta recycles worn-out fish nets and ocean waste into S-1500 chair for NCP
#design
the project contributes to building a local, circular economy, as it employs plastic waste from the local industry to produce chairs in the same area.
the project contributes to building a local, circular economy, as it employs plastic waste from the local industry to produce chairs in the same area.
designboom presents LEXUS design award 2019 finalists
#design
this year’s finalists employed technology in even more creative ways to conceptualize transformative solutions that have the power to change lives.
this year’s finalists employed technology in even more creative ways to conceptualize transformative solutions that have the power to change lives.
volvo develops 3D-printed 'living seawall' to save the world's oceans from plastic pollution
#design
the project combines 50 tiles that mimic the root structure of mangrove trees.
the project combines 50 tiles that mimic the root structure of mangrove trees.
“said to have created more than 600 full-time jobs” Amazon has made Seattle unlivable for non-tech workers. Those 600 jobs have eradicated 1,200 jobs and contribute to a staggering increase in our cost of living. Disruptors disrupt lives in their quest for innovation. Where do we go now?
https://milwaukeedomes.org/