Jony Ive, Apple's[1] chief design officer, has shed more light on the design, construction and working of Apple Park[2] in an interview with WSJ.
Ive said[3] that during the early years, Apple considered more complex forms than the ring shape it settled on, including a infinity sign and a trilobal shape, sort of like a giant fidget spinner.
In terms of how the 260,000-square metre four-storied circular building will be split up, Ive's design studio and other executive suites, along with the Apple Watch[4] and Siri[5] teams, are located on the fourth floor. The last of those will also occupy some part of the third floor. As for those working on iPad[6] and Mac[7], their offices will be located in the middle levels.
Then there's the main cafeteria, which comprises a four-level atrium that opens with nearly 200,000-kg heavy glass doors on both sides. Apple Park will also house a new location for the company's product-launch events – the Steve Jobs Theater – which will be used to host small concerts, meetings with Tim Cook[8] and Ive, and seminar talks as well.
Though the company's new headquarters opened to employees in April this year, construction is still ongoing in other parts. Ive's own team is one of the last ones on the moving roster, and it plans to relocate sometime in autumn, around the time the new iPhone[9] will be unveiled.
Since the campus is so huge, Apple has mapped it on Apple Maps[10], and commissioned 2,000 custom bikes that have been painted "Apple Grey". To ferry people from parking spaces and nearby...