“Go for it.” With those words, Cupertino Mayor Orrin Mahoney gave final approval for the construction of a new Apple campus in his city. Apple will receive its full building permits on November 20th and thereby be free to begin stage one of development.
Phase one includes the construction of the soon-to-be-iconic 2.8 million square foot, circular main building, a 100,000 square foot fitness center and a massive, 120,000 square foot auditorium. A parking garage capable of housing about 2,400 vehicles will also be built, but it will be underground and hidden from sight.
As part of its construction arrangement, Apple has agreed to a reduction in the sales tax rebate it receives from Cupertino. Now, the city will refund 35 percent of sales taxes it receives from Apple-related purchases, as opposed to last year’s 50 percent.
The building was designed by architect Norman Foster, whose firm’s well-known works include the bullet-shaped Gherkin in London and the restored Reichstag in Berlin.
Slated for completion sometime in 2016, the new headquarters will offer employees a massive, 90,000-square-foot cafeteria.
The renderings show architectural designs that borrow from the sleek, minimalist aesthetic of Apple’s retail stores. This image shows a visitor’s entrance.
This pristine pavilion, a short walk from the “mother ship,” is where press will mingle at future product announcements and other events.
From inside the pavilion, visitors will descend into an underground auditorium with seating for 1,000.
This tunnel will lead Apple employees and visitors to a parking garage underneath the headquarters.
This parking garage will have solar panels on top and plants drizzled down the sides.
Employees will be able to enjoy the parkland on both the inside and outside of the ring. There’s also an elaborate fitness center just north of the main building.