Where the Magic Happens: A Look into Apple Park
9th Aug 2022
Apple Inc. is one of the most influential and groundbreaking companies to ever conquer the tech space. As a tech giant, it’s only fitting for the company to design and construct an innovative and forward-thinking office slash campus. After finishing construction in 2017, Apple opened Apple Park and welcomed all its employees to the campus known as “The Ring.”
If you’re eager to know more, this infographic will look inside Apple Park and how it reflects the Apple brand principles.
What is Apple Park?
Apple Park is the main headquarters and second campus that Apple built in Cupertino, replacing the facility at 1 Infinite Loop that the company has called home since 1993. Steve Jobs recognized that as the company grew, it would take a larger, more advanced facility to accommodate its thousands of employees.
Jobs’ idea led to the creation of Apple Park. Upon Jobs’ passing, the company envisioned the campus dubbed “The Ring” as a beacon of unity and creativity, built to thrust Apple into the future. Construction began in 2013 and culminated in April 2017.
10 Awesome Things About Apple Park
Apple Park is a testament to excellent human engineering. Much like the company, “The Ring” features craftsmanship that only Steve Jobs and Apple could imagine and eventually create. Here are ten awesome things you should know about The Ring.
1. 175 acres
Apple Park was initially a 75-acre project. However, Dan Whisenhunt, Apple’s former head of facilities, learned of a 100-acre land just north of the planned site. It was a former HP campus. While the scale of the land itself is astounding, it held a deeper meaning for the late founder, Steve Jobs.
In his youth, Jobs looked up to the creators of HP and even managed to land a summer internship with them. HP was contracting and no longer needed the space, leading to Apple purchasing the land and expanding the project to 175 acres.
2. 2.8-million-square-foot main building
One of Apple Park’s most prominent features is the gigantic ring surrounding the campus. The ring itself occupies an area of 1.2 million sq ft of the total office space.
The 2.8 million-square-foot main building is so large that you’re going to have to travel through a 755-foot-long and 230-meter-wide tunnel to reach the main building.
3. $4.17 billion
The main building’s value is estimated at around $4.17 billion, while the on-site building is worth $3.5 billion. Apple Park also houses $670 million worth of equipment.
4. Powered by 100% renewable energy
While he was still alive, Jobs was inspired by California’s environment and envisioned The Ring as an eco-friendly facility that would help spur Apple’s next generation of breakthroughs.
CEO Tim Cook has stated that The Ring can run entirely on renewable energy—making Apple Park one of the most energy-efficient buildings worldwide.
5. 12,000 employees
Apple’s new corporate headquarters houses 12,000 employees. Here, workers are encouraged to meet people outside their team, share ideas, and collaborate.
The building is divided into modular sections known as pods. These communal spaces are used for office work, social, and team-building activities.
6. The world’s largest panels of curved glass
Apple Park has approximately 800 glass doors installed on its premises. These glass doors are about 45 feet tall and weigh 440,000 pounds each, considered the largest curved glass panes in the world.
The main building also features a glass elevator. Claimed to be the tallest freestanding glass elevator globally, the structure stands tall at 42 feet or 12.8 meters.
7. Largest naturally ventilated building ever
The Ring has natural ventilation. Jobs’ vision was that of a building that “breathes” like the workers inside it. This design allows the facility to run without heating or cooling systems for as long as 9 months.
8. 17MW on-site solar power
Apple Park is the largest LEED Platinum-certified office space found in North America thanks to the installation of 17 megawatts of on-site solar power. Controlled by a microgrid with battery storage, the rooftop solar installation boasts 4 megawatts of biogas fuel cells. During low-occupancy periods, the mechanism returns clean energy to the public grid.
9. 9,000 drought-resistant trees
Keeping up with Apple’s eco-friendly initiatives, the facility houses 9,000 drought-resistant trees across the estate. The trees were planted to maintain a moderate temperature and produce fresh air.
10. 100,000-square-foot fitness center
The Ring’s fitness and wellness center comes fully furnished with weight equipment and a two-story yoga room for health-conscious employees. Aside from high-quality gym equipment and areas, the fitness center also has medical and dental facilities available on the premises.
CEO Tim Cook is a huge advocate of employee health and has stated that these amenities are a worthy investment to keep employees active and healthy.
3 Rooms and Spaces Inside Apple Park
Aside from The Ring’s world record-breaking facilities and amenities, the massive property also houses unique rooms that breathe both nostalgia and future hopes.
1. Steve Jobs Theater
A tribute to Apple’s late founder, the Steve Jobs Theater is one of the most eye-catching structures inside Apple Park. It features a 20-foot-tall, 165-foot-diameter glass cylinder with a metallic carbon-fiber roof. Jobs wanted the theater to stand out like a jewel.
Located underground, the theater welcomes visitors with a stunning lobby worth $12 million. The auditorium is estimated at $180 million, primarily used for Apple-specific events and conferences.
Apple accomplished this by incorporating a lobby situated on top of a hill and constructing the theater underground to maintain privacy.
2. Visitors’ Center
The Visitors’ Center is the perfect way to experience Apple Park. It provides visitors with many options like a retail store, a café, an observation deck, and an Augmented Reality (AR) space.
The AR presentation is a scale model of the facility, allowing visitors to take a virtual tour of Apple Park. Visitors are given iPads with software specifically designed to provide information when panned over a specific area.
3. Glendenning Barn
The Glendenning Barn is a historical landmark in Cupertino constructed in the late 1910s. After purchasing the land, Apple decided to preserve the structure by rebuilding and relocating it inside Apple Park. While the structure mainly serves as storage space for groundskeeping equipment, it’s also a piece of history that symbolizes community, hard work, and innovation.
From Apple Park to Apple Users: 4 Reasons Behind Customers’ Loyalty to Apple
Apple has cultivated a loyal following in its history that spans almost three decades. Besides the tech conglomerate’s high-profile status courtesy of Apple Park and The Ring, the company also enjoys another prized possession: a loyal Apple fanbase. Here’s why.
1. Easy user interface
Apple products are considered one of the most high-tech pieces of hardware available on the market. However, the company ensures that all its products are easy to use.
From the MacBook turning on instantly with one push to the use of facial recognition to unlock your iPhone, the tech giant recognizes that usability and accessibility are integral to enhancing customer loyalty.
2. Innovative thinking
The company designs and creates entirely new products in contrast to merely updating its existing catalog. Every iteration of the Mac or iPhone features significant advancements compared to its predecessors. This business strategy enables Apple to retain previous customers and attract new ones.
3. Customer-first principle
Apple focuses less on specific features and more on how its products will benefit the customer. While Apple’s well-designed products are one of its biggest strengths, the company chose to establish a deeper, more emotional connection with its audience.
For example, Apple ads typically create a narrative. A prime example is the increased focus on capturing moments rather than the camera functionality of the iPhone itself. It appeals to the human side of consumers, inspiring them to purchase Apple products.
4. Quality and consistency
Apple has come a long way, consistently scaling up and constantly creating new technology. However, throughout the evolution process, Apple remains consistent in its brand message of putting customers’ needs at the forefront when designing its products.
A Vision Come to Life
Undoubtedly, Apple Park is one of its kind in terms of size, design, amenities and facilities, and so on. While The Ring started as an unprecedented vision, Apple has turned it into a technologically powerful, eco-friendly building that conveys the company’s standard for innovation and excellence.
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