Amazon's new headquarters in Washington: a monumental spiral staircase dressed in nature

The monumental spiral 22-story building, which overlooks a body of water near the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia, will feature hanging gardens, a metaphor for "a physical space for the pollination of ideas and collaboration." Amazon said in a statement.

It is the main building of a set of three buildings called "PenPlace" and constituting the second headquarters of the group, initially based in Seattle in the state of Washington (west).

The 260.000 square meter office complex represents an investment of $ 2,5 billion and is expected to bring 25.000 new jobs to the region over the next ten years.

According to the group's vice president for real estate installations, John Schoettler, with its "double helix" architecture, "this unique construction will feature two footpaths of landscaped terrain that will wrap around the exterior of the building, with plantations that 'can be found while hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia ".

The new headquarters, designed by the American architectural firm NBBJ, will also host artists in residence. For the staff, it "promotes well-being and physical exercise," says the manager.

The building will be heated and air conditioned 100% by solar energy.

Amazon had chosen this site for its new base in 2017 after a long suspense and an escalation of tax benefits offered by the candidate cities, which had sparked controversy.

In addition to Virginia, the Seattle group had also chosen a site in New York, finally abandoned after political differences.