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Apple Submits Updated Campus 2 Plans to Cupertino

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Re: Apple Submits Updated Campus 2 Plans to Cupertino

#21
post #8

The big PDFs aren't loading for me. Is the idea that the boxes on the bottom are the parking lots, and everyone needs to walk across the big field to get to the building? How far is that? Is there handicapped parking somewhere else?

There are 2 levels of parking underneath the main building. http://www.scribd.com/doc/62205913/FloorPlan-Cross-Section

Is there also some other 4-level parking structure somewhere? The scribd documents don't zoom quite enough to actually read the text.

Re: Apple Submits Updated Campus 2 Plans to Cupertino

#24
post #19

One can only applaud this. You do wonder sometimes why companies spent so few $$ on relaxing office buildings. Looking into nature increases productivity and well-being; also there are a lot of findings on how to organize work floors for optimal collaboration etc. Most companies are just not interested. Doesn't make sense to me (except for short-term profits).

I am aware about the nature/well-being (I even read a study regarding sports performance), but I have no knowledge on the findings on how to organize work floors. Care to share some links? Thanks.

Start with Jane Jacobs (google her, quite famous), then read her "The Death and Life of Great American Cities". It's helps you understand why cities work, why they don't, what makes a neighbourhood, what destroys them and how almost everything city planners and governments think matters, actually doesn't.

After that, read the Malcolm Gladwell article how her findings can be applied to office culture. http://www.gladwell.com/2000/2000_12_11_a_working.html

After all that, apply all that to offices you've seen.

Re: Apple Submits Updated Campus 2 Plans to Cupertino

#25

One can only applaud this. You do wonder sometimes why companies spent so few $$ on relaxing office buildings. Looking into nature increases productivity and well-being; also there are a lot of findings on how to organize work floors for optimal collaboration etc. Most companies are just not interested. Doesn't make sense to me (except for short-term profits).

Yeah, it's about short-term profits but also because many people still don't think of style or taste as being important to their long-term profits either.

Re: Apple Submits Updated Campus 2 Plans to Cupertino

#26
post #20

It's interesting to look at these renderings in the context of the story from a couple of days ago about working out at the office ( http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3314922 ). Treadmills in a conference room are certainly better than sitting all day. But instead of a treadmill, I'd rather just work in an office where I could go outside and take a walk. I hope more companies will start thinking about office design…

When I worked at Apple, I lived about half a mile from campus. I'd often go a week without even getting into my car; I could walk to everything important, including grocery stores. There were three very good bookstores within a 20 minute walk [now all out of business, btw].

I miss that.

Re: Apple Submits Updated Campus 2 Plans to Cupertino

#27
post #26
post #20

It's interesting to look at these renderings in the context of the story from a couple of days ago about working out at the office ( http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3314922 ). Treadmills in a conference room are certainly better than sitting all day. But instead of a treadmill, I'd rather just work in an office where I could go outside and take a walk. I hope more companies will start thinking about office design…

When I worked at Apple, I lived about half a mile from campus. I'd often go a week without even getting into my car; I could walk to everything important, including grocery stores. There were three very good bookstores within a 20 minute walk [now all out of business, btw]. I miss that.

I worked down the street from Apple in the late '80s, early '90s, at a place on DeAnza a little south of McClellan, and lived in the apartments that border Stelling and the 280, so biked through that area a lot.

What were the three bookstores? I only remember "A Clean Well Lighted Place for Books" being reasonably close to that area.

Re: Apple Submits Updated Campus 2 Plans to Cupertino

#29
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am aware about the nature/well-being (I even read a study regarding sports performance), but I have no knowledge on the findings on how to organize work floors. Care to share some links? Thanks.

Start with Jane Jacobs (google her, quite famous), then read her "The Death and Life of Great American Cities". It's helps you understand why cities work, why they don't, what makes a neighbourhood, what destroys them and how almost everything city planners and governments think matters, actually doesn't. After that, read the Malcolm Gladwell article how her findings can be applied to office culture. http://www.gladw…

The Jane Jacobs book looks fascinating, I just ordered a copy along with some other books I was buying :) Thank you.

Re: Apple Submits Updated Campus 2 Plans to Cupertino

#30
post #26
post #20

It's interesting to look at these renderings in the context of the story from a couple of days ago about working out at the office ( http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3314922 ). Treadmills in a conference room are certainly better than sitting all day. But instead of a treadmill, I'd rather just work in an office where I could go outside and take a walk. I hope more companies will start thinking about office design…

When I worked at Apple, I lived about half a mile from campus. I'd often go a week without even getting into my car; I could walk to everything important, including grocery stores. There were three very good bookstores within a 20 minute walk [now all out of business, btw]. I miss that.

I can't imagine life not being that way. I live in NYC and can walk to everything important, or take a short subway ride to anything else. I've gone months without getting in a car- if I ever move I think I'd miss that a lot.
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