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| Amazon Spheres | |
|---|---|
| Name | Amazon Spheres |
| Location | Seattle, Washington, United States |
| Coordinates | 47.6155°N 122.3376°W |
| Architects | NBBJ |
| Opened | 2018 |
| Client | Amazon.com, Inc. |
| Height | 90 ft |
| Area | 18,000 sq ft (each sphere) |
| Structural engineer | Magnusson Klemencic Associates |
Amazon Spheres The Amazon Spheres are a trio of glass domes on the campus of a major Seattle technology company, designed as horticultural workplaces combining office space with a curated botanical environment. Conceived during a period of rapid urban campus expansion, the project involved collaborations among prominent architectural, engineering, and botanical institutions. The development intersected with municipal planning, cultural debates, and sustainability initiatives prominent in contemporary urban design.
Conceived in the 2010s amid Amazon.com, Inc.'s downtown expansion, the project followed planning discussions involving the City of Seattle, Seattle Department of Transportation, and King County officials. Key milestones included design proposals submitted by NBBJ and negotiations with the Port of Seattle and Seattle Center stakeholders. The initiative paralleled other corporate campus projects such as Google's Bay View campus, Apple's Apple Park, Microsoft's Redmond campus, and Facebook's Menlo Park campus, and was discussed alongside urban redevelopment projects like South Lake Union, Hudson Yards, Canary Wharf, and the High Line. Public discourse referenced figures and institutions including Mayor Ed Murray, Governor Jay Inslee, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, philanthropists such as Melinda Gates, and civic groups like the Downtown Seattle Association. Construction contracts and permits involved firms such as Magnusson Klemencic Associates, Sellen Construction, and the Washington State Department of Transportation. The spheres opened to employees in 2018 amid coverage by media organizations including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Seattle Times, The Guardian, and local broadcasters.
Designed by the architecture firm NBBJ with structural engineering by Magnusson Klemencic Associates, the complex features intersecting steel ribs and a faceted glass envelope reminiscent of geodesic and diagrid systems used in structures like the British Museum's Great Court, the Reichstag dome, and the Eden Project. The geometry drew comparisons to projects by Foster + Partners, Herzog & de Meuron, Renzo Piano, and Zaha Hadid Architects. Faceting techniques echoed precedents such as the Crystal at the Royal Ontario Museum, the Louvre Pyramid, the Gherkin in London, and the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue. The spheres’ curtain wall and climate control referenced studies by engineering firms on façades for the Burj Khalifa, Shanghai Tower, and One World Trade Center. Landscape architects and botanical consultants collaborated with institutions like Kew Gardens, the New York Botanical Garden, the University of Washington Botanic Gardens, and the Missouri Botanical Garden. The interiors incorporated workplace concepts promoted by design firms and authors including IDEO, Bjarke Ingels Group, and Rem Koolhaas’ OMA.
The interior plant collection was assembled with expertise from botanists, horticulturists, and curators from institutions such as the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; the New York Botanical Garden; the University of Washington; the Smithsonian Institution; the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh; and the Morton Arboretum. Collections include species from cloud forest ecosystems comparable to those studied in the Amazon Basin, Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Manu National Park, and the Daintree Rainforest. Curated specimens reference genera and families prominent in botanical research at institutions like the Linnean Society, the California Academy of Sciences, the Field Museum, the Natural History Museum, and Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank Partnership. The spheres host large specimen trees and epiphytes similar to those documented by botanists such as David Attenborough, E.O. Wilson, Peter Raven, and institutions engaged in plant conservation like the World Wildlife Fund and Conservation International.
Intended primarily as office amenity space for employees of Amazon.com, Inc., the spheres function as meeting areas, informal workspaces, and event venues, aligning with corporate workplace trends seen at companies including Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, and Salesforce. Programming has included staff gatherings, horticultural tours, public lectures, and cultural events in partnership with entities such as the Seattle Art Museum, Pacific Science Center, University of Washington, Seattle Public Library, and local arts organizations. The project intersected with downtown transit initiatives involving Sound Transit, King County Metro, Amtrak, and the Washington State Ferries, and influenced discussions about urban planning led by organizations like the Puget Sound Regional Council and Metropolitan Planning Organizations.
Coverage and critique spanned design reviews and civic commentary from outlets and figures including The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Fast Company, Dezeen, ArchDaily, Dwell, Michael Wolf, Norman Foster commentators, Rem Koolhaas critics, and local journalists at The Seattle Times. Supporters compared the project to botanical attractions such as the Eden Project, Kew Gardens, and the Conservatory of Flowers, while critics raised concerns echoed in debates about corporate influence in public space similar to discussions around Hudson Yards, Canary Wharf, and corporate campuses in San Francisco. Civic groups and labor organizations including the Teamsters, Service Employees International Union, and community coalitions raised issues about public access, tax incentives, and urban equity, echoing earlier debates around projects involving the Port Authority, BID initiatives, and university expansions.
Public access and programming were negotiated with Seattle municipal authorities, cultural partners, and nonprofits such as Seattle Parks Foundation, Friends of the Urban Forest, and local conservancies. Public tours, educational programs, and partnerships with schools and universities—such as Seattle Public Schools, the University of Washington, Seattle Central College, and community colleges—were established alongside collaborations with museums and science centers including Pacific Science Center and the Museum of History & Industry. Accessibility considerations involved compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and consultations with disability advocacy organizations, local transportation agencies including Sound Transit and King County Metro, and cultural institutions such as the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture.
Sustainability measures included high-performance glazing, mechanical systems informed by studies from engineering firms and institutions such as ASHRAE, LEED consultants, and the U.S. Green Building Council. Environmental strategies were discussed in relation to urban sustainability initiatives like the Seattle Climate Action Plan, the Paris Agreement targets adopted by municipal governments, and research by the University of Washington, Stanford University, MIT, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Water use, soil substrates, and plant health drew on expertise from botanical gardens, the Millennium Seed Bank, the Xerces Society, and conservation NGOs including The Nature Conservancy and World Resources Institute. Energy and carbon footprints were compared with benchmarks established by projects such as the Bullitt Center, One Bryant Park, and the Edge in Amsterdam.
Category:Buildings and structures in Seattle Category:Greenhouses Category:Corporate headquarters