That’s not to say that all circular buildings represent some emergent 21st-century order. It is interesting, though, that past precedents have usually been buildings designed for spectatorship: sports stadiums or, more resonantly, panopticon prisons, where inmates’ cells are arranged in a ring so they’re visible to guards in a central observation tower. Take away that tower and you have the Apple campus. — The Guardian
Circles are an emerging form of office buildings (e.g. Apple HQ, Zappos, Government Communications HQ) and organizing people (Holacracy), as they convey positive qualities like transparency and open collaboration. But, as one New Zealand artist warns in his work, what sinister undertones linger within these structural concepts?
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13 Comments
If that photo is not 1984 encapsulated in a building, I don't know what is. it makes the Pentagon with it's five rings and courtyard seem charming and quaint, a Parisian street cafe by comparison.
the hunger games takes place in the middle
With respect to the apple campus, I'm not really sure it's a panopticon. That would suggest that the people in the center (visiting consumers) have control over the events occurring in the ring. At the least the activities in the ring are transparent to the people in the center. Given the level of secrecy built into the apple design process, this is certainly not the case.
I think it operates more on a simple castle defense trope. The hoards are allowed to enter the interior in controlled numbers. Once they are trapped inside the ring, designers can pour hot oil- er, products on them at will, controlling their movement and their experience.
Many fire departments want truck access to all sides of large buildings-one reason that European style superblocks haven't happened in the U.S.-wonder how this apple building happens-maybe there is a portal to the center?
Imagine this converted to a few lux condos with a private landing pad, oasis / zoo / golf course inside and clear fields of fire outside.
It was what Steve wanted - the form follows the function of how Steve organized Apple in his head - Knowing that his time was growing short - this is how he would set his way - of social engineering into perpetuity - almost as if he never left the building...
For making computers, snacks, or rock & roll... the shape works.
I always thought it was Foster's stab at a PoMo reference:
its missing the survelience tower in the center...how will they see if someone trys to escape?
it would be kind of fun if there were old-fashioned trains constantly running around the ring. and if they had seating and boxcars you could just work on it all day!
You can log out any time you like, but you can never leave.
Touche' gw.
Simple and bold works at the scale of an I-phone all day long. At the scale of an office park, little oppressive.
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