When Amazon began construction at its second headquarters in Arlington, Virginia (last January), it never could have imagined how differently the year would look. One of the masterplan’s core features is creative, healthy, and nature-filled spaces that inspire a sense of unity. That is important than ever before now as the past year’s challenges have only reinforced the need for people to be both a supportive corporate citizen and part of a community.
The company continues to hire in Arlington in preparation for when the public health situation improves, with over 1600 employees staffed and 600 job openings available. The value in connecting employees in a physical space to foster collaboration and cross-pollinate ideas still stands and will be possible in Arlington once regulations allow it.
The latest proposed development plan to add to the second phase of new construction is a unique-looking building called The Helix, designed by leading architecture firm NBBJ and its area (called PenPlace). This part of the project doubles down on the importance of fostering an open and inviting community by providing a new destination for residents.
The site design infuses nature into the urban landscape, creating a sustainable environment where employees can work, customers can dine and shop, and residents can go to relax. There are open and active places aiming to bring people closer to nature to nurture creativity and innovation.
The Helix is the centerpiece, a marvelous 350-feet-tall swirling glass tower covered in plants that rises to a point like a shimmering green drill bit emerging from the ground. Inside, it will host a variety of alternative work environments for Amazon employees. The building’s exterior consists of a set of spiraling paths lined with local plants for anyone to hike up.
Amazon is even planning an artist-in-residence program to be hosted within The Helix because it’s often at the crossing of art and science where innovative technology evolves. It also wants to offer public tours on weekends, so everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the unique environment, inside and out.
PenPlace will feature retail pavilions, restaurants, and an amphitheater facing a 20,000-square-foot green community space (a park), which can accommodate outdoor concerts, movies, and farmers’ markets. Overall, there will be 2.8 acres of inviting open spaces accessible for public use at the headquarter, and vehicular activity will take place underground.
Amazon said:
This project complements other ways we’re promoting a sense of community at the nearby site of the first phase of our Arlington headquarters (Metropolitan Park), with our planned 2.8-acre park that includes abundant tree canopy coverings, neighborhood gathering areas, and places for dogs. We believe that campuses should be neighborhoods that bring people together and not isolated, employee-only spaces that ignore their surroundings.
The publicly accessible spaces throughout the site will prioritize walkways, landscaping, and retail over motor vehicles. We plan to make a significant investment to move all vehicle access underground to foster a safe and welcoming pedestrian environment for everyone. Additionally, there will be protected bike lanes in the streets, and each office building will have dedicated street-level bike entrances and facilities to encourage safe and convenient bicycle commuting to our Arlington headquarters.
There will be three 22-story buildings across the campus, providing 2.8 million square feet of new office space. All the buildings are designed to be LEED Platinum, the highest certification for sustainable development. There will be an all-electric central cooling and heating system that runs on 100% renewable solar energy. This aligns with the company’s Climate Pledge to be net-zero emissions by 2040.
