Amazon unveiled the next phase of its $2.5 billion HQ2 in Virginia, which will be home to a spiral glass structure known as 'The Helix'
- Amazon unveiled designs for the next phase of HQ2 in Arlington, Virginia.
- The new headquarters will include three towers with 2.8 million square feet of office space.
- The campus will also be home to the Helix, a glass structure with walking paths spiraling up the outside.
Amazon has unveiled the design for HQ2, its futuristic new campus in northern Virginia.
The new headquarters will be home to 2.8 million square feet of office space across three buildings and 2.5 acres of public space. The centerpiece of the campus will be the Helix, a glass structure with walking paths winding around the outside of the building.
The campus is part of a long-term commitment for Amazon in Arlington, where the company has pledged to create 25,000 jobs and invest $2.5 billion. Amazon is going forward with the project despite the coronavirus pandemic, which forced the company to shutter its offices and have employees work remotely.
Amazon said in a blog post about the new headquarters that it believes the pandemic has only reinforced the need to be part of a community.
The decision to build a new headquarters in Arlington followed a months-long search and competition among American cities to become the next home base for the ecommerce giant. Amazon initially pledged to create 50,000 jobs and invest $5 billion in whichever city it chose before settling on two new locations: Arlington and Queens, New York.
In early 2019, Amazon announced it was canceling the Queens location following strong opposition from local politicians, but it's still going ahead with the Arlington campus.
Now, Amazon has taken the wraps off the second phase of construction, which includes public space and a nature-focused design. Take a look.
Amazon's plan for Arlington has multiple phases. An earlier phase included the Metropolitan Park site, a mix of public green space, 50,000 square feet of retail, and two sustainable office buildings.
Source: Business Insider
The next phase, known as PenPlace, will be home to three 22-story buildings that run on 100% renewable energy from a solar farm in southern Virginia. The campus will also house the Helix, a double-helix-shaped glass structure that Amazon describes as being closely integrated with nature.
Source: Amazon
The Helix will serve as an alternative work space for Amazon employees - similar to the Spheres at its Seattle headquarters - and will have two walking paths that spiral up the outside of the building, which Amazon says will incorporate plants that grow in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. The Helix will be open for public tours some weekends each month.
Source: Business Insider, Amazon
The campus will also have 2.5 acres of public space that includes a dog run and an amphitheater for concerts, outdoor movies, or farmers markets. There will also be room for food trucks.
Source: Amazon
Nearby streets will have protected bike lanes and the buildings will have dedicated bike entrances at street-level. Amazon says it plans to make all car access to the site underground to create a safer and more pedestrian-friendly experience.
Source: Amazon
The campus will include 100,000 square feet of space for shops and restaurants, plus outdoor areas for gathering or eating.
Source: Amazon
Amazon says the buildings are oriented to take advantage of natural light and are designed to encourage collaboration and "constant interaction with nature."
Source: Amazon
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