Everything WRONG with Amazon's Spheres in Seattle

Nestled between the skyscrapers of Seattle sit 3 odd looking glass sculptures. These are part of Amazon’s headquarters campus and are called THE SPHERES. The domes serve as an employee lounge and workspace. They are a part of the 4 billion dollar Amazon campus and were designed by the architecture company NBBJ. The structure is comprised of pentagonal hexecontahedron modules or Catalans. The primary steel components were prefabricated in warehouses before being shipped to the site and assembled. These Catalans support 2,643 panes of glass and are meant to resemble vines. There are 40,000 individual plants living in the Spheres, many of which are endangered plants brought from South East Asia. It also has one of the largest living walls in the country which stands 62 feet tall and 50 feet wide. The most iconic feature of the Spheres is Rubi, a 55 foot tall tree brought in from California. An opening was created at the top of the spheres to drop the tree in.

There are a couple of things about the Spheres that don't make sense to me. First off, how is working in a hot and humid greenhouse supposed to increase productivity? During the day, the temperature is maintained at around 75 Fahrenheit and 60 percent humidity, but at night, the humidity rockets up to 85%. Just imagine the stress on their HVAC and ventilation system to drop the humidity levels during the day. There is contradiction between creating a green space to bring you closer to nature and wasting a ton of electricity to maintain that artificial green space.

My other pet peeve is the logic that the designers use to justify this greenhouse workspace. They say that “studies” show that green space can inspire creativity and improve brain function. They also designed meandering pathways encourage walking meetings because “studies” have shown that if you are walking between 1.2 and 1.8 miles per hour, you are at the best speed at which to think. Now that obviously isn’t logical if you have to lug around a laptop and take notes. But, if you really believe that, just switch to treadmill desks.

Another issue I see with the Spheres is the lack of insects to keep the plants alive. Plants cannot sustain themselves in an insect-free enclosure, but you can’t allow all insects into the Spheres and spray insecticides to control their population because people work there and it could be hazardous to their health. So, the horticulturalists have to release selective insects inside the Spheres that will combat any bad bugs such as aphids. Finally, to top it all off, this conservatory which is supposed to bring people closer to nature is complemented by a fake, AstroTurf park right outside

This might be a cool place to visit but it feels like a gimmick. They are trying to force a workspace into a greenhouse when those two programs aren’t compatible. I think Singapore was much more successful with their Gardens by the Bay masterplan. Their Flower Dome greenhouse is complimented by the exterior gardens and there is a clear distinction between the natural and the artificial.

SOURCES:
Inside Amazon's Spheres, the Biodome Office in Seattle | Open Office | WSJ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRwLyefu0G0
First look inside the Amazon Spheres: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_o1eqRr4sM
A tour of Amazon's Spheres: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmQUCupKMRk
We Tried A Treadmill Desk Because Sitting At Work Is Killing Us: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jcd5XV4VL8
Steve Rogers Transformation Scene - Captain America The First Avenger (2011): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Qsh-R4a1k&t=185s
Teletubbies Jumping Episode My Version Part 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_WLgY6fc2M
Starship Troopers (1997) - Bugs! Bugs! We've Got Bugs!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgq0ecMHfzc
Gardens by the Bay Singapore Tour - City Discovery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB70khTfvNY
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#amazon #jeffbezos #thespheres #seattle #domes #greenhouse #architecture #design #construction

Видео Everything WRONG with Amazon's Spheres in Seattle канала Belinda Carr