Apple headquarters may be the most unique building ever constructed. The building is shaped like a spaceship as if it could ominously hover over cities foretelling their future destruction. The building encompasses 2.82 million square feet of office space and was constructed at an estimated cost of over $5 billion. The office complex is two-thirds the size of the Pentagon. Over 12,000 employees work at the space-themed headquarters.
Even under the building is unique. In order to give Apple Park an environmentally-friendly vibe, the company built a huge underground parking garage that can hold 10,980 cars. Apple has an annual property tax bill of over $40 million on this building alone.
The futuristic headquarters is located at 1 Apple Park Way in Cupertino, California. Over 80% of the Apple Campus site is green space that includes 7,000 plus trees. There are over 1,000 bikes on-site to help get employees around campus.
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs announced plans for the new headquarters in one of his last public appearances the city council meeting in Cupertino on June 7, 2011. The charismatic CEO died on October 5, 2011.
The building is powered by 700,000 square feet of solar panels on campus as well as an on-site low-carbon central plant. It uses 100% renewable energy. Additionally, a ventilation system built into the design lets the building go without air conditioning or heating for 75% of the year.
The sci-fi looking structure has become a tourist attraction in and of itself. The Apple Park Visitor Center is typically the first stop and tours can also be arranged.
The structure’s walls include the largest curved glass panel in the world. Over 3,000 sheets of glass wrap the entire building.
Apple built one of the world’s largest corporate dining halls, at over 60,000-foot it can accommodate 2,100 people. Additionally, there are 20,000 square feet of outdoor patios and terraces that incorporates an additional 1,750 seats.
The campus is 175-acres and is roughly the size of 40 football fields. Apple prides itself on the forested atmosphere surrounding the office building. The landscaping includes 5 million square feet of grass and about 9,000 species of native and drought-resistant plants.