Talk about sh – – ty design.
Amazon’s new proposed headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, is a glistening double helix — but it’s being compared to a poop emoji in good humor on Reddit.
The 2.8-million-square-foot double-helix-shaped building designed by architecture firm NBBJ was inspired by DNA, galaxies, weather patterns, pinecones and seashells, according to the building proposal press release, which didn’t mention whether excrement was also an inspiration.
Members of the local r/nova (northern Virginia) Reddit group responded positively to the new dung-like building, calling it a “beautiful piece of architecture” and saying “I’d rather people try buildings like this rather than some generic looking skyscraper.”
“Imagine starting your days by having a healthy uphill walk in a forest to your office, looking out your window and seeing trees and the potomac [sic],” wrote one Redditor.
Amazon execs must be glad that the community seems to be on board: The $2.5 billion project has made every effort to create neighborly goodwill after the Seattle-based company pulled out of their New York City HQ2 plans in 2019 because of community backlash.
The proposed building would include 20,000 square feet of community space, and Amazon plans to offer public tours several times a month. They also plan to have local artists in residence, according to the press release.
Amazon
“We believe that campuses should be neighborhoods that bring people together and not isolated, employee-only spaces that ignore their surroundings,” said the press release.
The 22-floor “poop-moji spiral forest hill,” as one Redditor called it, would offer 100,000 square feet of stores and restaurants, plus child care centers, a dog run and a food court, according to the press release.
The LEED-certified building would run on solar energy and would attempt to integrate office workers with nature. The tree-lined exterior spiral is actually a walkable path and would sit by the water alongside the Pentagon lagoon. Inside, employees have access to “lush gardens” and native trees. It echoes the indoor-outdoor design intention behind Amazon’s “The Spheres” in Seattle.
“Our plans also infuse nature into the urban landscape and create a unique, sustainable environment where our employees can work and invent for our customers,” said the press release.
