Does Amazon’s new building look like an ice cream swirl? Or what about a poop emoji?
The internet certainly has opinions on the design for the company’s new office building in Arlington, Virginia, where Amazon is establishing a second headquarters. On Tuesday, the e-commerce giant debuted images for the upcoming building, which is dubbed "The Helix.”
The result is a spiral glass tower lined with leafy trees. The design certainly stands out; internet users couldn’t help but notice the similarities to another infamous swirl—the poop emoji.
Amazon settled on the design, noting that helixes can be found across nature, including in pinecones, seashells, and in our DNA. “A true double helix in shape and structure, this unique building will feature two walkable paths of landscaped terrain that will spiral up the outside of the building, featuring plantings you may find on a hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia,” the company said in the announcement.
It’s not the first time Amazon has tried to meld nature and architecture in one building. In 2018, the company completed construction of The Spheres, a bubble-shaped office structure it built for its Seattle headquarters that’s also filled with trees and plants inside.
Amazon plans on using the Helix to give local employees an “alternative” office environment. The building will be erected alongside three, more conventional-looking 22-story office buildings. All the structures will also run on renewable energies to help Amazon meet its goal of becoming a net-zero carbon company by 2040.
The company is dubbing the entire site the “PenPlace,” which will come with retail shops, restaurants, and an outdoor park area. Amazon says it submitted the plans for the new headquarters to city planners, so local citizens will have a chance to weigh in.