amazon's new hq design

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Project #3015022 DRB Recommendation Meeting #1 MRuus 2.0 - Block 19


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Project #3015022 DRB Recommendation Meeting #1 May 21, 2013

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1Purpose of Recommendation Meeting #1Table of Contents

1 Purpose o Recommendation Meeting #1.........................

2 Block 19 ........................................................................Masterplan Aerial ViewOpen Space Aerial ViewThree-Block Site PlanConcepts

Design Guideline PrioritiesModel PhotographsPrecedentsSite Access DiagramEnlarged Site PlanPlansSectionsElevationsStreet Level ViewsOpen Space / Landscape DesignTower and Podium Development

APPENDIX .......................................................................32

Summary o Previously Granted Departures

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Goals or Session

The intent behind the new design shown in the MUP revision is to create an alternative environment on Block 19, in the center o the 3 block developmemployees can work and socialize in a more natural, park-like setting. The generative idea is that a plant-rich environment has many positive qualitienot oten ound in a typical oce setting. Thereore, the MUP revision modies the low rise oce building rom a six story 84,000 SF rectilinear struseries o intersecting spheres with ample space or a wide range o planting material, as well as individuals working alone or in groups.

While the orm o the building will be visually reminiscent o a greenhouse or conservatory, plant material will be selected or its ability to comicroclimate that also suits people. To encourage growth and maintain the health o the plants, the buildings interior will include high bay spaces ontotaling approximately 65,000 SF and capable o accommodating mature trees. The exterior enclosure will be highly transparent and be composed pmultiple layers o glass supported by a metal ramework.

In addition to a variety o workplace environments, the acility will incorporate dining, meeting and lounge spaces, as well as a variety o botanmodeled on montane ecologies ound around the globe. The building will be anchored at either end by publically accessible retail spaces entered ro7th Avenues.

With its revised geometry, the low-rise building on Block 19 enhances the streetscape along Lenora Street, 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue by providing laand paved areas between the building and sidewalk. Due to its lower height, it also has a positive impact on the adjacent midblock open space bshadow and shade impacts as well as widening the entrances along 6th and 7th Avenue to the Public Plaza and Commercial Parcel Park.

No new design departures will be sought or the revised design. We are also not seeking the Boards recommendation or approval o our revised des

meeting. We look orward to your questions and guidance and intend to seek approval at our next recommendation meeting. Note that the massing o the elevations o the high-rise oce tower will conorm to the approved design guidelines established during the initial MUP.

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Project #3015022 DRB Recommendation Meeting #1 M

2Block 19

Masterplan Aerial View - Proposed Design


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2Block 19

Open Space Aerial View - Previously Approved

Studio 216


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2Block 19

Open Space Aerial View - Proposed Design

Studio 216


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WESTLAKE

7th AVENUE

8th AVENUE

6th AVENUE

BLANCHARD

LENORA

VIRGINIA


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2Block 19

Three-Block Site Plan

BLOCK 19

BLOCK 20

BLOCK 14


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Concept Diagrams

1. Previously Proposed 2. Generative Idea

3. Optimizing For Flow And Solar Orientation 4. Maximizing Nature on the Site

WORKPLACE NATURE WORKPLACE WORKPLACEWORKPLACE

&NATURE

WORKPLACE WORKPLACE

2Block 19


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2How Downtown Design Guideline Priorities from the EDG are Addressed

Block 19

How the Proposed Design Address Prioritized Design Guidelines:

A. Site Planning and Massing- Responding to the LargerContext

A-1 Respond to the physical environment: The modications to the low-rise oce building on Block 19

strive or an innovative and bold design that will be highlyvisible rom all sides. Its distinctive appearance and location atthe geographic center o the planned three block developmentestablishes a new visual ocus and heart or the three blockproject.

A-2 Enhance the skyline: The proposed design revision does not aect the highrise

tower, so the skyline view would not change. However, thebold, curvilinear prole o the low oce building promotesvisual interest and adds to the variety o building orm in thegrowing neighborhood. The revised building orm and enhancedtransparency eectively contrasts with the rectilinear massingand relative opaqueness o the adjacent oce and residentialtowers.

B. Architectural Expression Relating to the NeighborhoodContext

B-1 Respond to the Neighborhood Context: The overall project massing remains responsive to the existing

and uture context o the site. The reduced height o the lowbuilding permits more daylight to penetrate into the public openspace at the center o Block 19, as well as adjacent streets. Thecurvilinear orm sets it apart rom its immediate surroundingsand consciously avoids the look o a typical corporate ocebuilding.

B-4 Design a Well Proportioned and Unifed Building: Massing and scale transitions between each block and within

Block 19 are maintained, and are now urther enhanced by thenew design. The spherical orm o the low building is driven bythe very dierent spatial requirements o large scale interior

planting that includes trees and a variety o ecological zones. The intersecting spheres appear to emerge out o the ground

and house the garden and work spaces in the most ecientgeometric orm or enclosing a specied volume. The lowbuilding is composed o three volumes with the largest volume

in the center and the two smaller volumes at the ends, so thatthe overall mass steps down towards the perimeter o the site.

C. The Streetscape- Creating the Pedestrian Environment

C-1 Promote Pedestrian Interaction : With its revised geometry, the low-rise building on Block 19

enhances the streetscape along Lenora Street, 6th Avenueand 7th Avenue by providing increased landscaping and widersidewalks between the building and sidewalk. It is importantto note that Lenora Street east o Westlake Ave is a designatedGreen Street. This green street environment will be extended tothe West and strengthened with the proposed Lenora Shareduse Street concept at Block 20 between Westlake and 7th Ave,the narrowing o Lenora Street, and the proposed landscapetreatment at Block 19.

Retail uses are now located not only along 7th Avenue andLenora Street, but also along 6th Avenue, activating the twoends o the building and the street corners with spaces that arepublically accessible.

C-2 Design a Faade o Many Scales: The enestration pattern o the low building is composed primarily

o multiple layers o clear glass supported by a metal rameworkthat can be perceived at multiple scales. When viewed close up,what appears as a homogenous skin stretched over the curvedorms is perceived to be composed o a repeatable module thatcomprises the orm o the entire building. Given the buildingshighly transparent quality, the glazing system and pattern willully integrated with the structural system that supports it,exposing the building tectonics to view, inside and out.

C-3 Provide Active-Not Blank Facades: The low building will oer a high degree o transparency that

allows great visual access into the high bay spaces and lushgarden environment that will distinguish the interior spaces.Retail uses along 6th, 7th and Lenora will activate both thesurrounding streets and the midblock open space.

C-4 Reinorce Building Entries: Retail entrances into the low-rise building will be located at the

street corners and mid-block on Lenora. The main oce buildingentries are set back a short distance rom the Avenues within thepublic open spaces. They are visually separated rom the retailentries and are used to help activate the open space as well asto bring attention to the through-block pedestrian connection.

C-5 Encourage Overhead Weather Protection: The canopy structure connecting the lobby o the oce tower

along 6th Avenue to the low oce building rames the openinginto the midblock open space and has been expanded to includea publically accessible trellised area suitable or seating.

D. Public Amenities - Enhancing the Streetscape and OpenSpace

D-1 Provide Inviting and Usable Open Space: The proposed design revision maintains the key elements o

the ground level open space concepts while improving uponthe integration o the building uses with the open space andstreetscape. The key open space elements include the playeld,o-leash dog park, and an accessible path through the siteand a weather protected walkway between the buildings.Both street corners are now activated by ground level retail opublic plazas with highly transparent storeronts. The entrancesrom 6th and 7th Avenue to the central public open space atmidblock are wider than in the approved MUP and the designmaintains an accessible through-block pedestrian connection.Solar access to the ground plane is much improved in the new

design due to the spherical orm and graduated height o thelow building. Planters, benches, landscaping, walls and otherstreet elements are designed to allow visibility into and out othe open space.

D-2 Enhance the Building with Landscaping: Generous landscaping and paved areas will also be designed

or the space between the low building and the sidewalkalong Lenora, 6th and 7th Avenue. The high transparen cyand conservatory quality o the revised low-rise building willvisually extend the areas o planting, as well as expand the typeand scale o planted material. As mentioned under C-1, theenhanced landscape treatment also acts as a natural extensiono the designated Green Street East o Westlake Ave.

D-3 Provide Elements that Defne the Place: The play eld and a dog park, which are open to the public

anchor the midblock open space and remain key elements o the

design. Seating areas are still provided in the orm o terracedledges and benches that line the playeld in the midblock publicopen space. Distinctive landscaping will be provided to addtexture such as specimen trees and varieties o low plantings.

D-4 Provide Appropriate Signage:

As beore, signage will be designed to uniy project as a whole, acilitate rapid orientation to the street level environment.

D-5 Provide Adequate Lighting: Architectural eatures o the building (e.g.,

canopies) are illuminated in a distinctive wayand pathways will be lit or saety at all hours whcut-os to limit light pollution rom outdoor ligrom the revised low-rise structure will be contscreening.

D-6 Design or personal saety and security: As beore, spaces where public access can oc

based on the basic principles o Crime PrevEnvironmental Design including:

Well-lit paths and walkways;Locating garage elevators so that they dithe lower level public lobby rather than tthe oce towers;

Site lighting that limits areas cast in shadWindows that permit a high degree o visinto and rom the building lobbies;

Designing paths between buildings to inc

oot trac in exterior public areas.

E. Vehicular Access and Parking MinimizImpacts

E-1 Minimize Curb Cut Impacts: The number, size and location o curb cut

entrances remains unchanged. The garage drivremain on Lenora Street and 6th Avenue. The is still on Blanchard.

E-3 Minimize the presence o service areas (D This remains unchanged. There is no access t

garage rom 7th Avenue where the cycle trac

pedestrian walkway are proposed.


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Block 19

Model Photographs

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2Block 19

Precedent Images

Mitchel Park Conservatory - Milwaukee, USA

Renzo Piano - Bolla Genoa, Italy The Royal Greenhouses o Laeken - Brussels, Belgium

Convention Center - Ottowa, Canada


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2Block 19

Precedent Images

Gardens by the Bay - Singapore Nabana-No-Sato - Nagashima, Japan

National Botanic Garden o Wales - St Austell, UK

Zoo - Leipzig, Germany


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2Block 19

Site Access Diagram

Previous Site AccessComposite Levels G&1

Proposed Site AccessComposite Levels G&1

Retail

Lobby

Retail Entry

Primary Building Entry

Secondary Building Entry

Garage Elevator Entry

Service Vehicle Entry

Parking Garage Entry


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2Block 19

Site Plan - Level 1

6th Avenue

7th Avenue

Blanchard

Street

L e n o r a

S t r e e t

Canopies

Accessible Routeo Travel

Bicycle Access


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2Block 19

Level G

Retail

Retail

Retail

Kitchen

Lobby

Level 1

Plans - Level G and 1


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2Block 19

Plans - Levels 2,3, and 4

Level 2 Level 3 Level 4


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2Block 19

North / South Section Along Lenora Street

6TH AVE

RETAIL

RETAIL


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2Block 19

East / West Section Through Midblock Open Space

LENORA ST

MIDBLOCK OPEN SPACE

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LENORA

7th Avenue


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2Block 19

North Elevation - 7th Avenue

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LENORA

6th Avenue


2Block 19

South Elevation - 6th Avenue

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2Block 19

East Elevation - Lenora Street


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Lenora Street

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2Block 19

West Elevation - Midblock Open Space


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Midblock Open Space

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2Block 19

View Along 6th Avenue - Previously Approved


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2Block 19View Along 6th Avenue - Proposed Design

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2Block 19View Looking West rom Intersection o 7th Avenue & Lenora Street

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2Block 19View Looking Southeast along 6th Avenue

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2Block 19

View Looking Southwest rom 7th Avenue

Stu

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Multi-Generational Open SpacesInspirational Images

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Block 14: Lighting Block 19:Dog Park Block 20: Gardens

Block 14: Art Block 19: Playeld Block 20: Water Feature

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Previous Elevation - Blanchard St. Previous Elevation - 6th Avenue

Previous Elevation - 6th Avenue

Previous Elevation - Midblock Open Space Previous Elevation - 7th Avenue

2Block 19Tower and Podium - Previously Approved

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View From 7th Ave. and Westlake View From 7th Ave. and Blanchard - Green Street and Loading Dock Character

2Block 19Tower and Podium Development - Proposed Design

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View From Lenora - Render View & Massing Concept View From 7th Ave. and Blanchard - Render View & Massing Concept


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View From 6th Ave. and Blanchard - Render View & Massing Concept View From 6th Ave. and Lenora - Render View & Massing Concept


APPENDIX


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APPENDIXSummary of Development Standard Departures - Previously Granted

Block19

Item# DevelopmentStandard Requirement DepartureAmountRequested Rationale DowntownDesignGuidelinesA ff ec te d D ia gr am

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SMC23.49.056.B.2 Upper

LevelDevelopment

Standards

Themaximumlengthofafacadewithout

modulationlocatedwithin15feet ofaproperty

lineis80feetlongfortheportionofafaadethat

isaboveanelevationof500feet.

Themaximumlengthofafacadewithoutmodulationlocatedwithin

15feet ofapropertylineisrequestedtobeupto90feetlongfor

theportionofafaadethatisaboveanelevationof500feet.

Thisdeparture wouldpermitthefaadelengthofthetalloffice

toweralongSeventhAvenuetocontinueuninterruptedfrom

level4allthewayuptothetopofthebuilding,permittingthe

structuretomoreappropriatelymeetthesky

A1Respondtothephysicalenvironment

A2Enhancetheskyline

B4DesignaWellProportionedandUnified

Building

SeeDiagram1

2SMC23.49.058.F Upper

LevelSetbacks

UnderUpperLevelSetbacksinDOC2, alonga

designatedgreenstreet,acontinuousupperlevel

setbackof15feetshallbeprovidedonthestreet

frontageabuttingthegreenstreetataheightof45

feet.

Werequestadeparturetopermitanarchitecturalelementthatis

approx.18inchesthicktointrudeintotheupperlevelsetbackzone

atanelevation45feetabovesidewalklevel.Thiselementis5feet

deepandwillbesetback10feetfromthestreetpropertyline.It

willextend5'6"intotheupperlevelsetbackzoneabove45feetat

thecornerofBlanchardandSeventhAvenueandtaperdownto

zerofeetforarunningdistanceof112feetalongBlanchard.

Thisarchitecturalelementwillpermitamajorhorizontal

architecturalfeatureofthefaadetocontinueuninterrupted

alongtheentirelengthofBlanchardStreet.

B2Createatransitioninbulkandscale

B4Designanwellproportionedandunified

building

C2Designafaadeofmanyscales

C3Provideactivenotblankfacades

SeeDiagram2

3

SMC23.54.035.C.2 Loading

BerthRequirementsand

SpaceStandards

Thestandardlengthofaloadingberthshallbe10

feetx35feet.

OnBlock19atthemainloadingdock,two10'x35'deeploading

berthsandtwo10'x25'deeploadingberthswillbeprovided.A

designdepartureisrequestedtopermitsixloadingberthstobevan

sizedspacesmeasuring8'6"x19'0'. Wefurtherrequestthatone

additionalvan

size

stall

measuring

8'

6"

x19'

0"

and

located

on

levelP1ofthegaragebeprovidedtoservicetheretailspaceson

eachblock.

AhighpercentageofthedeliveriesmadetoAmazonbuildingsare

donebycarrierssuchasApex,UPSwhichsmallervansthatdo

notrequirestandardloadingberthssizedat10'x35'.Thiswill

enabletoloadingdocktobesizedmoreefficientlytomeetthe

trueloadingdemandsofthebuildinguser.Amorecompact

loadingdockwillalsopermitmorespaceforusessuchasretailat

thegroundlevel.

Astudyofdockcapacityandloadingrequirementshasbeen

preparedbyHeffronTransportationdatedMay17,2012to

supportthefollowing:

9loadingberthswouldadequateservethepeakofficedemand

ateachofthebuildings.

5(ormore)ofthosespacescouldbereducedinsize.

Ifthebuildingwereeverconvertedtoamultitenantbuilding,

theloadingdockisstilladequate(andinfactwouldprobablybe

oversized).

C1Promotepedestrianinteraction.

C3Provideactivenotblankfacades

SeeDiagram3Aforlayoutof

loadingdockonBlock19.See

Diagrams3Bforproposedlocation

ofvanparkingstallforretail

loadingonP1levelofthegarage

onBlock20.

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