Amazon Spheres - Sustainable Development in Seattle
It might seem like Amazon Headquarters would be all warehouses and office space; however, the online mega-giant retailer made an environmentally friendly statement of the importance of sustainable development with the Amazon Spheres. With 3,225 sq/feet of space like eateries, meeting space, benches, and elevators, the highlight of the four-story sphere is the "living wall" of over 25,000 plants including carnivorous plants from Asia.
"Take a closer look inside The Spheres [to find] 40,000 individual plants and more than 300 plant species from more than 50 countries and almost every continent that now calls it home." (source)
The three glass domes are constructed of pentagonal hexecontahedron glass panels creating a sunny space for employees to relax and plants to thrive. There are 2,600 five-sided panels of glass with 620 tons of steel for the foundation. The three spheres are maintained at 72 °F and 60% humidity all day. Since coming to Seattle, the Amazon Spheres have been a highlight of the area, but the spheres are limited to employees only unless on a tour of the headquarters. The spheres take up three blocks of Seattle and change the way the skyline looks in contrast to the surrounding buildings. The original design of the spheres was open meeting spaces and tables. It was later changes - before the end of construction - to reflect a biophilic design. Biophilic design incorporates nature on a large scale into the building layout.
Learn more about the Amazon Spheres.
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Image Attribution: Amazon Spheres, Seattle, Washington by Joe Mabel.
