Microsoft Unveils Huge New Redmond Campus With 18 New Buildings
Microsoft has unveiled its campus of the future, showing off renders for what will one day be its new location in Redmond, Washington. The company describes this as a multi-year project, explaining that it will renovate 6.7 million square feet of work space at its Redmond campus, as well as adding 18 new buildings, a $150 million transportation infrastructure, and much more.
Microsoft has been at its Redmond location for decades, and it will spend at least half a decade completing its newest campus plans. The company refers to its updated campus as a modern destination for the company's employees, one that will feature a pedestrian-centric design and car-free zones, walking and running trails, sports facilities, open spaces, and more.
In addition to building new structures, Microsoft plans to tear down a dozen of its existing buildings. A large bridge will span the campus, enabling people to cycle, walk, or run from one side to the other. Buildings will be optimized so that they are energy efficient, employee spaces will focus on fostering creativity, and the space will be designed to give room for non-work related things like playing sports and relaxing.
Microsoft demonstrates what the new campus will look like compared to its existing one in the video above. In addition to showing an aerial view of the planned campus, the video also takes viewers through renders of the planned space, which looks more like a modern city for millennials than it does a work campus. As the renders show, the campus won't be entirely car-free, featuring half a dozen parking lots underground, as well as a road around the exterior.
Contrasting that exterior road is an interior half-mile loop for people to get around. Natural light will have a prominent place in the new buildings, no doubt being part of Microsoft's stated energy-optimized plans. Also featured in the renders is a large plaza that shows what appears to be a huge display set up like a billboard that presents the current weather information, among other things.
SOURCE: Microsoft Blog