11 Interesting Facts About Apple's iPhone-Inspired Headquarters
When the world swears by your futuristic technology and products, your office needs to be futuristic, too. And, what could be more futuristic than a campus that is spaceship-shaped and has everything inspired by the flagship product, iPhone. Come April, Apple will be shifting nearly 14,000 of its employees to the upcoming Campus 2 located at Cupertino, California.
The last dream project of Apple's founder Steve Jobs, the structure is going to be nothing less than a technological and architectural marvel, exactly the way he wanted it to be. MakaaniQ lists some interesting facts of the new Apple headquarters:
- The new campus is spread in an area of 2.82 million sq ft and is constructed at an estimated cost of $5 billion. Once constructed, the structure's exterior will be covered with the world's largest curved glass at six km.
- Skanska USA and DPR Construction were the first contractors of the project, but, left as the work began. It is reported that due to too much micromanagement the contractors moved out.
Also read:Â What Makes Google's Hyderabad Office More Than A Workplace
- Everything at the campus is inspired by the iconic iPhone. This includes home-button-like elevator buttons that have the iPhone's curve rounded corner.
- It is said that even the design of fire escape signage took 15 meetings to finalise and a 30-page guideline was set for the constructors for which and where all the wood will be used across the structure.
Also read:Â Pasona Group's Office In Tokyo Is An Urban Farm Amid Neon Lights
- The design is such that no vents or pipes could reflect onto the exterior glass wall. This also includes electrical wiring, just like how an iPhone would come in a plain white box with nothing extra.
- The iPhone's spick and span packaging also inspired the ceilings of the structure which are made of polished concrete, had to be perfect and clean inside and out.
- Guess what? Even the toilets at the headquarter take inspiration from iPhone. These toilets are sleek like the phone and with tolerances much smaller than the industry standard of 1/8 inch.
Also read:Â 5 Inspiring 3D-Printed Structures Across The Globe
- Many think that the spaceship-like design is not really a practical one. For someone to make the fastest trip from one side to the other will have to leave the building altogether.
- In fact, the doorways in the structure have no thresholds but are rather flat. Thresholds according to Apple can act as a hindrance for people walking.
- Believe this when we tell you that Apple has been deciding on the door handles for more than a year and it is still not sure if those are finalised or not.
- For constructors working on the project, it is like a work of art. The workers were asked to wear gloves to ensure they do not leave any fingerprints or scuffs on the materials they were working with.Â