Apple's 'spaceship' readies for take off: Aerial footage reveals how the circular Campus 2 headquarters is taking shape

  • The site is cordoned off but the latest aerial footage was captured by a Californian helicopter firm 
  • Apple founder Steve Jobs originally submitted the application for the Cupertino headquarters back in 2011 
  • The campus will be a mile in circumference, feature glass walls and solar panels and cover 175 acres
  • It is expected to be completed in 2016 and a number of buildings are visible in the recent imagery

From schematics to illustrations, Apple and its team of architects have already revealed many features of its UFO-shaped campus, but that doesn't stop the site being closely guarded and cut off to prevent photos.

But a local helicopter firm has managed to shoot aerial views of the building and its 175-acre construction site as it prepares to open next year.

As the camera pans over the site, it reveals the 'Campus 2' site's mile-wide circumference and how the structure will fit in with the surrounding Cupertino neighbourhood, as well as a number of buildings starting to take shape.

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A Californian helicopter firm flew over the site of Apple's Campus 2 last month and shot aerial views of the building and its 175-acre construction site as it prepares to open next year. As the camera pans over the site, it reveals the site's size and how the structure will fit in with the surrounding Cupertino neighbourhood, as well as a number of buildings starting to take shape (Credit: Skycore/E3VFX)

It is not the first aerial imagery of the spaceship, but it does reveal how the site is progressing since drone footage captured the foundations being laid in October last year.

The footage was captured by by helicopter firm Skycore using a 5K Red Epic Dragon from the Skycore Camera Ship fitted with a 1800mm lens.

Covering 175 acres, the company's futuristic 'Campus 2' headquarters will be a mile in circumference when it's complete in 2016.

During a recent interview chief architect Sir Norman Foster gave an additional insight into how Apple's 'spaceship' will be built - as well as the inspiration behind its circular and 'organic' design.

This includes cars being 'banished and buried' in underground car parks, tarmac being replaced by greenery and windows that stretch the full height of the four-storey main building that slide open.

The footage (still pictured) was captured by by helicopter firm Skycore using a 5K Red Epic Dragon from the Skycore Camera Ship fitted with a 1800mm lens. Covering 175 acres, the company's futuristic 'Campus 2' headquarters will be a mile in circumference when it's complete in 2016 - and its foundations resemble the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars

The footage (still pictured) was captured by by helicopter firm Skycore using a 5K Red Epic Dragon from the Skycore Camera Ship fitted with a 1800mm lens. Covering 175 acres, the company's futuristic 'Campus 2' headquarters will be a mile in circumference when it's complete in 2016 - and its foundations resemble the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars

The video (still pictured) is not the first aerial imagery of the 'spaceship' design, but it does reveal how the site is progressing since drone footage captured the foundations being laid in October last year. Cranes are shown driving over one of the many construction bridges

The video (still pictured) is not the first aerial imagery of the 'spaceship' design, but it does reveal how the site is progressing since drone footage captured the foundations being laid in October last year. Cranes are shown driving over one of the many construction bridges

He also revealed there will be room for 1,000 bikes and the tricks he is using to make the giant campus seem compact.

'It's interesting how it evolved,' explained Sir Foster. 'First of all, there was a smaller site.

'Then, as the project developed, and the Hewlett-Packard site became available, the scale of the project changed.

'The reference point for Steve [Jobs] was always the large space on the Stanford campus - the Main Quad - which Steve knew intimately.

'He would reminisce about the time when he was young, and California was still the fruit bowl of the United States. It was still orchards.'

With this in mind, Sir Foster said he wanted to add a series of 'organic segments' to the Cupertino building. Although unconfirmed, these are likely to be large mud and sand areas inside the site and surrounding it seen on the Skycore footage.

IS THIS THE WORLD'S MOST IMPRESSIVE OFFICE? KEY FEATURES OF APPLE'S SPACESHIP-LIKE CAMPUS 2

Appearing as a giant saucer, the Silicon Valley site near the 280 Highway will be home to 13,000 Apple employees.

There will be jogging and cycling trails, with more than a thousand bikes kept on site at all times, which staff can use to make their way around.

The Spaceship will have 360-degree curved glass fronted walls and central courtyard as well as a 1,000-seater auditorium, a gym and 300,000 square feet of 'research' space.

Apple Campus 2 will additionally have underground parking hidden from view, meaning 80 per cent of the site can be covered in trees. The site was previously owned by Hewlett Packard and the majority of the area is currently covered in asphalt.

Elsewhere underground, the auditorium will be where Apple's CEO Tim Cook will present the companies keynotes ahead of product launches, for example. This auditorium will be covered with a circular glass pavilion that will also be an access point for employees and guests.

Natural gas will, primarily, provide the building's power and the local energy grid will only be accessed in emergencies. The glass structure will also be fitted with solar panels.

The circular, four-storey building will be around a mile in circumference and a third of a mile wide and was recently described by the San Fransisco Weekly as a ‘massive glass doughnut’.

The building stays eco-friendly with natural ventilation that works instead of air-conditioning for 70 per cent of the year, low energy LED lighting where natural light doesn’t reach, and on-site recycling

Sir Foster also wanted the circular building to surround a private space in the centre, designed to replicate the California landscape, and mimic the orchards that Jobs remembered fondly.

As a result, Sir Foster said: 'The car would visually be banished, and tarmac would be replaced by greenery, and car parks by jogging and bicycle trails.'

When Apple's co-founder Steve Jobs first submitted the plans back in 2011 the campus was billed as 'the best office building in the world'. 

During an interview with Architectural Record, chief architect Sir Norman Foster recently gave an insight into how Apple's 'spaceship' headquarters in Cupertino (illustration pictured) will be built - as well as the inspiration behind the circular design of the main building on the 175-acre site. Work is expected to be completed in 2016

During an interview with Architectural Record, chief architect Sir Norman Foster recently gave an insight into how Apple's 'spaceship' headquarters in Cupertino (illustration pictured) will be built - as well as the inspiration behind the circular design of the main building on the 175-acre site. Work is expected to be completed in 2016

Sir Foster said he wanted to add a series of 'organic segments' to the Cupertino building because co-founder Steve Jobs wanted the circular building to surround a private space in the centre, designed to replicate the California landscape, and mimic the orchards that Mr Jobs remembered fondly as a child. These are likely to be the large muddy and sandy areas (pictured) 

Sir Foster said he wanted to add a series of 'organic segments' to the Cupertino building because co-founder Steve Jobs wanted the circular building to surround a private space in the centre, designed to replicate the California landscape, and mimic the orchards that Mr Jobs remembered fondly as a child. These are likely to be the large muddy and sandy areas (pictured) 

The plans feature underground parking hidden from view (illustration pictured) and Sir Foster said: 'The car would visually be banished, and tarmac would be replaced by greenery'

The plans feature underground parking hidden from view (illustration pictured) and Sir Foster said: 'The car would visually be banished, and tarmac would be replaced by greenery'

Reports in April 2013 claimed the project had, at that point, exceeded its budget by around $2 billion (£1.32bn), pushing the total cost up to around $5 billion (£3.14 billion) and putting it a year behind schedule.

And then last year, Apple was asked to submit new plans with updated landscaping designed, a slightly revised floor layout, renderings, and a bicycle plan, however the overall main design wasn't changed.

Appearing as a giant saucer, the Silicon Valley site near the 280 Highway will be home to 13,000 Apple employees.

There will be jogging and cycling trails, with more than a thousand bikes kept on site at all times, which staff can use to make their way around.

The 'spaceship' will have 360-degree curved glass fronted walls and central courtyard as well as a 1,000-seater auditorium, a gym and 300,000 square feet of 'research' space.

During his initial proposals, Apple's co-founder Steve Jobs said he wanted the building to be covered in 40ft floor-to-ceiling panes of curved glass so that all of the building's four storeys would be visible from the outside and offer a large amount of natural light (pictured). Sir Foster said these glass panels 'can literally move sideways and just open up into the landscape' to make the building seem more open

During his initial proposals, Apple's co-founder Steve Jobs said he wanted the building to be covered in 40ft floor-to-ceiling panes of curved glass so that all of the building's four storeys would be visible from the outside and offer a large amount of natural light (pictured). Sir Foster said these glass panels 'can literally move sideways and just open up into the landscape' to make the building seem more open

This image shows the Apple Campus 2 from above. The site will be surrounded by a man-made forest featuring 7,000 trees. It was previously owned by Hewlett Packard and is currently covered in around 80 per cent asphalt

This image shows the Apple Campus 2 from above. The site will be surrounded by a man-made forest featuring 7,000 trees. It was previously owned by Hewlett Packard and is currently covered in around 80 per cent asphalt

Apple Campus 2 will additionally have underground parking hidden from view, meaning 80 per cent of the site can be covered in trees. The site was previously owned by Hewlett Packard and the majority of the area is currently covered in asphalt.

Elsewhere underground, the auditorium will be where Apple's boss Tim Cook will present the companies keynotes ahead of product launches, for example.

Covering 175 acres, Apple's 'Campus 2' headquarters will replace its current offices at 1 Infinite Loop (pictured)

Covering 175 acres, Apple's 'Campus 2' headquarters will replace its current offices at 1 Infinite Loop (pictured)

This auditorium will be covered with a circular glass pavilion that will also be an access point for employees and guests. 

Natural gas will, primarily, provide the building's power and the local energy grid will only be accessed in emergencies. 

The glass structure will also be fitted with solar panels. 

The circular building will be around a mile in circumference and a third of a mile wide and was recently described by the San Francisco Weekly as a ‘massive glass doughnut’ .

The building stays eco-friendly with natural ventilation that works instead of air-conditioning for 70 per cent of the year, low energy LED lighting where natural light doesn’t reach, and on-site recycling.

Under these updated plans, the campus was renamed Apple Campus 2. 

When asked how these employees will make their way around the huge campus, Sir Foster said: 'The proximity, the adjacencies are very, very carefully considered.

Sir Foster's firm Foster and Partners were also the architectural experts behind the redesigned Wembley Stadium, London City Hall and The Gherkin.

'Remember also that the scale is broken down by cafes and lobbies and entrances,' he continued. 

'You have four-storey-high glass walls, which can literally move sideways and just open up into the landscape. So the social facilities break down the scale.'  

Much of the inside of the futuristic building will also be made of glass with stone-coloured walls to add to the building's natural-looking design (pictured). The 175-acre Silicon Valley site near the 280 Highway will house 13,000 staff

Much of the inside of the futuristic building will also be made of glass with stone-coloured walls to add to the building's natural-looking design (pictured). The 175-acre Silicon Valley site near the 280 Highway will house 13,000 staff

Not all of the parking spaces will be hidden. The parts of the multi-storey car park that will be on show, according to this  image from Apple, will be covered in plants and greenery to help the concrete structure blend in

Not all of the parking spaces will be hidden. The parts of the multi-storey car park that will be on show, according to this image from Apple, will be covered in plants and greenery to help the concrete structure blend in

‘You see the energy and the love and the attention to detail that we've put into this,’ added Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer at an unveiling of the top secret spaceship plans in 2013.

‘We have treated this project just as we would any Apple product. And this will be a place for the most creative and collaborative teams in the industry to innovate for decades to come.’ 

‘This will be one of the most environmentally sustainable developments on this scale anywhere in the world.'

In the centre will be an enclosed arboretum and orchard complete with thousands of fruit, oak, and olive trees according to the San Jose Mercury-News.

Apple has also factored in a 90,000-square-foot cafeteria, part of which is pictured. It will cover at least two storeys of the predominantly glass building and will feature oak tables and chairs

Apple has also factored in a 90,000-square-foot cafeteria, part of which is pictured. It will cover at least two storeys of the predominantly glass building and will feature oak tables and chairs

The cafeteria will additionally feature an outside dining and picnic area (pictured). Apple's Campus 2 additionally comes with a fitness centre in the northern part of the building

The cafeteria will additionally feature an outside dining and picnic area (pictured). Apple's Campus 2 additionally comes with a fitness centre in the northern part of the building

‘We love California, and by adding over 2,500 new and indigenous trees that truly belong here,’ Mr Oppenheimer continued, ‘we're bringing back the beautiful orchards that once made up this valley.’

'It'll provide a very open-spaced system, so that at one point in the day you may be in offices on one side of the circle and find yourself on the other side later that day.' 

Apple’s current office building at 1 Infinite Loop will remain and the new offices down the road will be built in addition to the current offices, which house around 2,600 workers.

When Mr Jobs first presented the plans in 2011, he said his firm was 'growing like a weed.’

'We do have a shot at building the best office building in the world,’ he said. ‘I really do think architecture students will come here to see this.' 

This room-sized mock-up of the planned Apple HQ was released in November 2013 before executives submitted their plans to the council

This room-sized mock-up of the planned Apple HQ was released in November 2013 before executives submitted their plans to the council

Employees will additionally be given a 90,000-square-foot cafeteria that connects to an outside dining and picnic area. This will be a short work from the fitness centre in the north of the building.

Last year, YouTuber, jmcminn used a GoPro Hero 3+ Black edition and a DJI Phantom 2 drone to fly from the site's perimeter and over the site.

His resulting eight-minute video showed the circular walls being worked on with the basic layout of the enormous campus starting to take shape.

Meanwhile, images of the campus taken by Apple Toolbox in May showed work was well underway at the site.

But concept images of Apple's headquarters only reveal one part of a story which began in 2011 when co-founder Steve Jobs laid down plans for a futuristic new campus.

Last year, YouTuber, jmcminn used a GoPro Hero 3+ Black edition and a DJI Phantom 2 drone to fly from the site's perimeter and over the site. His resulting eight-minute video showed the circular walls being worked on with the basic layout of the campus starting to take shape

Last year, YouTuber, jmcminn used a GoPro Hero 3+ Black edition and a DJI Phantom 2 drone to fly from the site's perimeter and over the site. His resulting eight-minute video showed the circular walls being worked on with the basic layout of the campus starting to take shape

 

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