Amazon Spheres – Forest Canopies

Part of a Seattle Architectural Icon

Amazon Spheres - Forest Canopies

Extending an Indoor Rainforest in the heart of Seattle
and home to one of the world’s largest tech companies –
we were part of that!

A key architectural icon in Seattle is the Amazon’s Spheres – three bubble-like structures (each rising over 4 stories high) in the centre of the city. A 5-plus-year design process lead to these awe-inspiring buildings designed to create a unique workplace where employees could take in the positive effects of nature.

Significant attention was paid to the design and the interior of the Spheres including a looming 50′ ficus tree and over 4,000 sq.ft. of living green walls. It was also deemed important that the outdoor space surrounding the Spheres be designed intentionally to extend the natural environment.

“…An important gesture to the public to develop exterior planting that could be considered a botanical garden in its own right”.

Source: Amazon Executive

 

An key aspect of this was the “network of treelike shade canopies, rendered in the same material language as the Spheres’ steel structure”. For these uniquely shaped glass canopies, Stella collaborated with the glazing contractor (DeaMor Associates) to supply our articulating glass bolts (see here) to support the facetted glass via mount on DeaMor’s waterjet aluminum posts made at varying heights.

Quotes sourced from this article here.