E-commerce leader Amazon recently unveiled the details of the second phase of its new Second Headquarters (HQ2) in Arlington, Virginia, USA, which was designed by NBBJ Architects, and a spiraling glass tower "Helix" is particularly eye-catching against the background of the surrounding buildings, surrounded by green grass and trees, making it a modern greenhouse where the city can coexist with nature.
The first headquarters of Amazon in Seattle was also designed by NBBJ, while the design of the second headquarters is different from the first headquarters, and the appearance of the helix spiraling up softens the rigid and clean lines of glass building materials, and the curved lines and green flowers and grasses are dotted in it, adding to the sensual atmosphere of the building.
At 106 meters tall, the helix is designed to be inspired by the double helix structure of human DNA, which looks like an upward-turning forged belt or a scroll, but its function is not affected, it also has two walking corridors that can spiral along the building to the roof, and will plant trees that can be found throughout the local Blue Ridge Mountains.
The new headquarters campus, which covers a total area of 2.6 hectares and includes three additional 22-storey office buildings in addition to Helix, seeks to create an open community space that will be a gathering place for local creative talent, and will regularly host artist residencies. The park not only has the office space for employees, but also plans to build an outdoor amphitheater, retail mall, restaurant and dog walking trail for the public to use, while pedestrian and bicycle trails are given priority to create a safe and comfortable outdoor paradise environment.
Amazon expects to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040, using renewable energy power generated entirely from solar power stations, and HQ2 will start construction within the year and be completed and opened in 2025.