In February, Amazon.com Inc. released expanded plans for its HQ2 headquarters, including the Helix, a 370,000-square-foot spiral tower. Rendering courtesy Amazon.com Inc.
What is now a quiet, achromatic area of Arlington, the National Landing neighborhood in a few years’ time will be a bustling urban area with distinctive office buildings and large green spaces open to the public.
In early February, Amazon.com Inc. released plans for its 2.8-million-square-foot redevelopment of the PenPlace block, including three 22-story office buildings with coworking space designed by Seattle-based architecture firm NBBJ. The jewel in the crown of the development, however, will be “The Helix,” a 370,000-square-foot spiral tower atop 2.1 acres of green space.
Employees will be able to walk around the building on paths lined with native Virginia trees and other foliage. In a nod to The Spheres at Amazon’s Seattle headquarters (which features more than 40,000 plants), the Helix will be open to the public for tours on select weekends.
