The classic spacecraft school at Apple Park is the subject of a conversation with Norman Foster.

Apple Park
Norman Foster, who was responsible for Apple Park’s iconic design, recently sat down to discuss the process and his time spent with Steve Jobs, the late CEO. Apple has been based in Cupertino since a long time. Apple’s headquarters was the Apple Infinite Loop Campus from 1993 to 2017. Apple Park is a massive campus in the shape of a ring, affectionately called “The Spaceship.” In 2018, Apple officially switched its headquarters to Apple Park. The building was designed by English architect Norman Foster and pitched by Steve Jobs, the late CEO. Foster discusses the project’s journey from the drawing board to the reality in a new podcast from the San Francisco Standard, Life in Seven Songs. Foster’s favorite story about the project is a time he worked directly with Jobs. Apple Park was subjected to many iterations, as is common with many projects. Jobs and Foster finally settled on the design a half-year into the project. “The early studies were all curvilinear. It was only when we reached a crisis that Steve said, ‘Every project requires a crisis.’ We must take advantage of this. At that point, the project began to resemble a circle. It was probably 6 or 7 months after the project began. The moment was when the circular image enclosed the large green space and the landscape outside, recreating California’s landscape, the basket of fruit that Steve Jobs grew up with, appeared. “He says that the design was not a flash of inspiration, but rather a culmination after a long design process. Foster is very concerned with the design process. A good design, according to Foster, should be more than just a functional space. It should also inspire and uplift. It’s not about prioritizing function over form, but rather, a space’s ambience is just as important to its plumbing, heating, or cooling. “I would argue that a vital part of the function of a space is how it makes you feel. Does it lift our spirits? “We know that a recovering patient who is in a room that has a view will leave the hospital sooner than a patient facing a brickwall,” he says. “As a designer I would say that it’s not either or. All of these things should be integrated. “Good design is all about integration. Foster also finds the nickname of the campus fitting. He is also a pilot, in addition to being a designer and architect. “All the newspapers, periodicals, and reporting, repeated, they all know that the mothership has landed. We have lifted off. It was all space terminology.” He says. “And that’s very rewarding for me because space and the worlds of flight have always been a part of my life. Particularly flying.” The rest of the conversation focuses on his design philosophy, past jobs, and his journey to becoming an architect. Apple plans to add another campus in North Carolina. However, it is not clear when this will happen.