As founder Jeff Bezos leaves Amazon CEO’s position to Andy Jassy, the multinational introduces its new headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, The Helix. The building is a glass tower covered with trees inspired, according to its creators, by the “natural beauty of a double helix“.
Internally, the building will host various work environments for Amazon employees; The exterior will be covered with fully scalable vegetation that will extend over 105 meters in height. The tower, which will be open to the public for weekend tours, will be surrounded by a campus with three buildings enclosed in a square surrounded by greenery. A space designed for outdoor activities, shopping, and the market with local farmers. There will also be a theater, an area for outdoor concerts and film screenings in the trees. All for a room for public use of over 2.5 acres.
The Helix opening will create 25,000 jobs, with an investment of $ 2.5 billion over the next decade. Numbers that are not surprising if you look at the success of the Amazonian capital. In the fourth quarter of 2021 alone, revenues rebounded 44 percent annually to $ 125.6 billion. “As the health emergency improves and regulations allow, we will continue to bring our employees together in one physical space to pollinate new ideas and foster collaboration.”
The project was designed by the NBBJ architecture studio in the name of sustainability and building eco-compatibility. In addition to The Helix, the studio has designed new offices that will be spread over three 22-story buildings. But also a series of commercial pavilions, restaurants, and a kindergarten. At the center, there will be shared areas in which to socialize in contact with nature. “Design promotes well-being and physical exercise, organization, and a strong bond with the local community. We believe that offices should be conceived as neighborhoods, capable of bringing people together, and not as isolated spaces reserved for employees”.
However, before Amazon can see its plan implemented, Amazon will need to get local authority approval to begin construction of the building and surrounding areas. But we have no doubts that the project will see the light. On the other hand, more and more vertical forests make their presence in large metropolises. Last is the Tao Zhu Yin Yuan tower, designed by the Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut in Taiwan. A 21-story skyscraper that features installation of hanging gardens, waterfalls and ultra-modern interiors. The facility has a total of 13,000 plants, which can absorb up to 130 tons of carbon dioxide per year.
