Apple announced on Wednesday that it is set to open its sprawling new campus where thousands of its employees will be moving into over a period of six months.
Officially called the Apple Park, the 175-acre site features huge green spaces, a ring-shaped building, a 17-megawatt of rooftop solar, an Apple Store and café open to the public, a 100,000-square-foot fitness centre for employees, a theatre, as well as research and development facilities.
The 12,000 employees of the iPhone maker will begin moving into the new site in April, with the whole process taking over a period of six months.
The campus’ 2.8 million-square-foot main building is clad entirely in the world’s largest panels of curved glass. It is located in the heart of Santa Clara Valley in California.
Steve Jobs, who would have turned 62 on February 24, had envisioned the facility as a centre for creativity and collaboration.
In honour of Jobs’ memory and his influence on Apple and the world, the theatre at Apple Park, a 1,000-seat auditorium that is perched on a hill, one of the highest points at the park, will be named the Steve Jobs Theatre.
“Steve’s vision for Apple stretched far beyond his time with us. He intended Apple Park to be the home of innovation for generations to come,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO.
“The workspaces and parklands are designed to inspire our team as well as benefit the environment. We’ve achieved one of the most energy-efficient buildings in the world and the campus will run entirely on renewable energy.”
