Construction at Apple's "Spaceship" Campus has been progressing at a rapid pace in the past few months, as the company most recently began putting up the outer walls and laying roadwork. Now, iFun.de (Google Translate) shares new photos of the steel and glass material that will be used for the campus' facade, which are being provided by German company Josef Gartner GmbH.

spaceship_facade_materials

Construction material for Apple's Spaceship Campus tested by Josef Gartner

The images show the steel and glass components being tested by Josef Gartner outside of its premises, and could hint at the scale of Apple's new Campus 2 building upon completion. The building will have a circular, multi-story structure surrounded by greenery, additional buildings, performance stages, a fountain, and more.

spaceship_facade_concept

A concept image of what the front of Apple's Spaceship Campus will look like

Apple's Campus 2 project will be constructed in two phases, with the first phase finishing up by 2016 and including a 2.8 million square-foot ring-shaped central building, an underground parking facility, a 100,000 square foot fitness center, and a 120,000 square foot auditorium. Meanwhile, the second phase of construction will take place after 2016 and include an additional 600,000 square feet of office, research and development buildings as well as an additional parking structure with 1,740 spaces.

Top Rated Comments

Davmeister Avatar
151 months ago
I shall now proceed to hand in my notice as a Doctor and apply to be a cleaner at Apple Campus 2.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mukow Avatar
151 months ago
Am I crazy for thinking that maybe Apple would want an on-site medical person or two for a campus this large?

Google does have medical offices on its Googleplex campus. I would be surprised if other large companies don't. The calculation is simple.

1. Minimize the time needed away from work for routine checkups.
2. Routine checkups presumably lead to better overall health, which also minimizes time away from work.

It's a win/win for the employer.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zab the Fab Avatar
151 months ago
... but Apple obviously think this investment is good for shareholder value or they would not do it.

You might recall the only time Tim Cook has shown anger in public, was when an analyst asked about the Solar Farms versus Stock Value. Tim Cook boiled as he attempted to keep calm, replying that he would suggest that anyone who felt Apple should not do the right thing, but only what the stock price wants, should GET OUT OF THE STOCK.

Unfortunately I have not seen any video of this leaked, but it was described quite vividly in the press.

I was amused, and proud, of the iBoss.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
krewger Avatar
151 months ago
"Hint at scale"? All the plans are published online for how big it's going to be. Should be called " First look at actual exterior materials as mockup".
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ArtOfWarfare Avatar
151 months ago
I shall now proceed to hand in my notice as a Doctor and apply to be a cleaner at Apple Campus 2.
Am I crazy for thinking that maybe Apple would want an on-site medical person or two for a campus this large?

The building is designed to hold 12000 employees. Just basing this off of the ratio of nurses to students at my middle and high school, plus the university I went to, I'd imagine that Apple would want to have a team of 5-10 medical personal on campus.

Then again, I don't know if my employers have ever had medical personal onsite... but at the same time, I've never worked in a building that held more than ~300 employees.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SuperCachetes Avatar
151 months ago
In construction, this is what is referred to as a "mockup" wall. I believe MacRumors is familiar with that term...

Required of the contractor in the building specifications, its purpose is to demonstrate to the architect that the fit and finish of all components meets the design criteria, which in the case of this building are insane (1/32" tolerances, etc.). Good luck, guys.

In this case, because it's Apple (and Sir Norman), the priority might be fit-and-finish, but more importantly, mockups are commonly used for envelope testing and for observing detailing with respect to air/water infiltration, i.e. non-glamorous things like flashing and air barriers. Here they may also be looking at light control via the shading devices as well.


1/32" of an inch isn't really a big deal in construction these days. Tight tolerances are especially desirable with external walls to prevent them from looking wavy and shoddy.

You either aren't really "in construction" or must only work on museums. If it's the latter, I'm jealous.

I've designed buildings that cost $1,100 a square foot, and even then we only got down to 1/16". In typical commercial construction "these days," 1/8" is the norm for dimensioning, but 1/2" for joint and structural steel tolerances are more common. Furthermore, governing bodies and industry agencies allow much more than 1/32" tolerance (out of plumb, variation in dimension over 10' etc), precisely because it doesn't look wavy and shoddy up to that point.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
iOS 26 Home Feature

Apple Gives Final Warning to Home App Users

Tuesday February 3, 2026 8:55 am PST by
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching. In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...