Amazon just dropped the design in one of their major plans in the future, building a second headquarters campus in Arlington, Virginia. The online retail giant revealed the new office's design, which seems to have been registered differently to some people.
The Helix
In a press release, Amazon released the proposed design for the Virginia headquarters, which will soon station over 25,000 employees. According to Amazon's global real estate chief John Schoettler, the massive building with the architectural and ecological elements will be called PenPlace. Schoettler said the new headquarters is designed by NBBJ architecture firm.
Alongside the press release are photos of the three tall office buildings, with the middle building being the center of attention. The unique glass-enclosed structure and spiral glistering centerpiece building is called "The Helix."
"For this project, we're doubling down on the importance of fostering an open and inviting community by creating a new destination for local residents," Schoettler wrote.
DNA inspired the 2.8 million-square-foot double-helix-shaped building through the form of "galaxies, weather patterns, pinecones, and seashells."
Schoettler explained that the 22-story building's new Amazon office takes inspiration from their Seattle headquarters called "The Spheres."
"A special place where employees can work or unwind while immersed in nature. The Spheres were inspired by a concept called biophilia-the innate human desire to connect with nature-and a similarly engaging and rejuvenating concept is the basis for our Arlington headquarters: a double helix."
Engaging with the Community
The proposal allotted a 2.5-acre space dedicated for public use. It features a theater in front of a massive garden, which can accommodate future outdoor concerts, farmers' markets, and even outdoor movies under the stars. A forest grove is also part of the plan, aiming to provide shaded areas during hot days.
The new Amazon office will also include at least 20,000 square feet of community space to support educational programs, from large community meetings, small classes, and individual use.
Part of the plan is to offer public tours within the headquarters several times a month and have resident local artists in the community.
"We believe that campuses should be neighborhoods that bring people together and not isolated, employee-only spaces that ignore their surroundings, the press release noted.
It also allotted 100,000-square-feet for stores, restaurants, child care centers, a food court, and an area for dog walking.
Poop Emoji
New Amazon HQ2 "Helix" Tower...can't unsee this now from r/nova
Meanwhile, internet users are quick to troll "The Helix" and compared it to the brown poop emoji.
In a Reddit group discussion, one user suggested that he could not unsee the similarities of "The Helix" to a poop emoji because of its double spiral structure.
"New Amazon HQ2 "Helix" Tower... can't unsee this now," a Reddit user wrote, together with a side-by-side photo of The Helix and the poop emoji.
But others responded positively and called the extraordinary building a "beautiful piece of architecture."
"I'd rather people try buildings like this rather than some generic-looking skyscraper," one user wrote.
"Imagine starting your days by having a healthy uphill walk in a forest to your office, looking out your window and seeing trees and the potomac," another one added.
