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.
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.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie