The development of an office, research, and development campus for Apple in Cupertino, Calif., is currently moving forward. Plans are to replace existing office and research buildings to create Apple Campus 2, one mi. east of the existing facility. Most of the 175-acre area is located in the former Hewlitt-Packard (HP) campus.
Unanimous approval for the project was received from the Cupertino City Council in Nov. 2013, and demolition began shortly after. All the buildings on the site had reportedly been demolished by the beginning of May. Sidewalks in the area have been closed, and a green privacy fence keeps the area hidden from view.
The first phase of the project is expected to be complete by 2016. No definite date has been released for the next phase.
According to reports, the construction work on the project has been awarded to a joint venture of DPR and Skanska, which serves as general contractor. NCM Demolition & Remediation is the subcontractor for the demolition work.
In the original documents, Apple proposed to create "an integrated, unified, and secure 21st century campus surrounded by green space. This new development will provide a serene environment reflecting Apple’s brand values of innovation, ease of use and beauty. The entire 176-acre site will be redeveloped with sustainable, state-of-the-art office, research, and development facilities. The project replaces the current disjointed assemblage of aging corporate facilities with a single high performance office, research and development building, with supporting facilities. The buildings are located in a unified and secure landscape, which extends and connects the interior workplaces to outdoor facilities for relaxation, recreation and reflection."
When the drawings were unveiled at a Cupertino City Council meeting in 2011, late Apple CEO Steve Jobs was there.
"It’s a pretty amazing building," he said. "It looks a little like a spaceship landed, but there it is. It’s got this gorgeous courtyard in the middle, but a lot more. It’s a circle, and so it’s curved all the way around. As you know, if you build things, this is not the cheapest way to build something. There’s not a straight piece of glass in this building."
The total cost for the four-story glass circular building is estimated at several billion dollars.
The architecture firm Foster + Partners was selected for the design, headed by Norman Foster.
The project calls for the demolition of approximately 266 million sq. ft. of existing office, research and development buildings, and the construction of 3.42 million sq. ft. of office, research and development buildings, 120,000 sq. ft. (11,148 sq m) [1,000 seat] corporate auditorium, 100,000 sq. ft. (9,290 sq m) corporate fitness center, and 25,000 sq. ft. (2,322 sq m) valet parking reception, 92,000 sq. ft. (8,547 sq m) of utility plants, and associated parking facilities and ancillary buildings, such as security reception areas and landscape maintenance buildings.
Associated site improvements will include access tunnels, a surface parking lot, outdoor dining and recreational facilities, and landscaping.
The project also will involve the removal of approximately 3,710 trees. Of these, approximately 90 trees are proposed to be transplanted, and at least 6,200 trees will be planted.
Excavation will reportedly be required for two levels of basement parking located under the main building, ramps to the underground parking and loading dock storage areas, foundations for the parking garage and access tunnel, the basement elements of the corporate auditorium and corporate fitness center, site grading excavation, and the Tantau office, research and development facilities.
The roof of the structure will be covered with solar panels — a total of 700,000.
According to reports, general contractors include DPR/Skanska for the main building and overall responsibility for the site work; BNBuilders, for the underground auditorium and fitness center, BNBuilders/Webcor Builders, for Phase 2, which will reportedly add 632,000 sq. ft. (58,714 sq m) of research and development space; McCarthy Building Companies for a parking structure; and Granite Construction Co. for road widening and utility relocation.
Subcontractors reportedly include NCM Demolition & Remediation for demolition work; Clark Pacific for precast structural concrete; Conco Commercial Concrete, for cast-in-place concrete, using two on-site batch plants; Earthquake Protection Systems, for seismic isolators (700 weighing 18,000 lbs. [8,164 kg] each); Rosendin Electric and Redwood Electric for wiring; Superior Air Handling, for HVAC; Pan-Pacific Mechanical for plumbing; and Permasteelisa North America for the curtain wall.
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