A Tour Of Microsoft's Truly Gigantic, Sprawling Headquarters

Filmateria Digital LLCIn Microsoft's "high-five" hallway.Microsoft's campus acts as a somewhat perfect metaphor for the company.

It's gigantic, it's sprawling, and when you set foot on campus, you feel much more optimistic about Microsoft's future than people outside the campus.

Microsoft is a complicated company.

Unlike Apple, which is really just an iPhone and iPad company, Microsoft has 12 different divisions that generate a billion in revenue.

So, when the Windows business is in bad shape, the Servers and Tools group, or the Office group, picks up the slack.

That's why Microsoft's revenue was up 4% last quarter on a year-over-year basis, despite the implosion of Windows. Compare that to Apple, which only saw revenue grow by 1% thanks to a shrinking iPad business.

Similarly, Microsoft's campus isn't just one giant donut shaped glass spaceship, like Apple is planning for its new headquarters. Instead, it's over 120 buildings spread across Redmond, Washington.

It's more like a town than a headquarters. To get around, you take Microsoft shuttles. Even people who spend lots of time at the campus get lost easily.

We visited Microsoft last June. We had a photographer with us taking photos. Here's what it's like to wander Microsoft's massive campus.