John King makes it clear - the 4-story ring iCon (or doughnut, by some) would not work in urban San Francisco, but could be quite fitting for sprawling, suburban Silicon Valley.
"The centerpiece of the proposal is Apple's would-be iCon - a four-story ring of smooth aluminum and glass that Jobs likened to a spaceship in the June 7 presentation (to the Cupertino City Council) that stands, for now, as his last public appearance."
The ring, containing 2.8 million sq. ft of space, would require a half-mile walk from one far side to the other. King asks if workers would be given Segways.
The cafeteria seats 3,000; the garage parks 4,3000.
"While the spaceship is the main attraction, it's not the structure that would be most visible to outsiders. That honor goes to the parking garage, which would form a streamlined wall along Interstate 280 four stories tall and 1,440 feet in length, with room for 4,300 cars."
Unlike the original developments that marked the inception of Silicon Valley in Santa Clara county some 40 years ago on the famed fruit tree orchards, the expanded Apple campus would be a consolidation of two office parks; reducing the existing 25 office buildings to five.
Read the full story: Apple spaceship HQ might work in Cupertino
High Tech Embraces Suburban-Style Office Park Thinking
Critics claim tech companies such as Apple and Google are guilty of repeating past mistakes of urban development by creating suburban campuses that isolate themselves from the surrounding community.
Will Apple's Silicon Valley HQ Appeal to Young Techies?
As young tech talent increasingly calls San Francisco home, some wonder whether investing in large, opulent headquarters in suburban Cupertino is a risky decision for even the most successful tech companies.
The Alienation of Apple's Alien HQ
Philip Langdon criticizes the 'corporate isolationism,' of Apple's new donut shaped headquarters in Cupertino, California.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
NYC DOT wants faster, more permanent street upgrades
The city is examining ways to build more concrete infrastructure without getting entangled in 'decades-long' projects.
'Something we’ve never seen before:' rising utility rates could strain city finances nationwide
Data centers, climate change and other factors have caused utility rates in the United States to increase by 38% since 2020.
Trump to overrule local leaders, lease millions of acres of America’s Pacific Island territories’ seafloors to mining companies
International law says that the Indigenous people of America’s territories have a right to prior and informed consent regarding projects that impact their countries.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello