Amazon Archives | Moss and Fog

There are few companies in the world with the financial reach of Amazon.com. One very public testament to this is The Spheres, which just opened in downtown Seattle. The centerpiece of their $4 Billion dollar downtown campus, these huge glass spheres contain a miniature rainforest, complete with a tropical atmosphere created by the more than 40,000 plants within them. Over five years in the making, these complex systems bring a very futuristic and fanciful addition to Amazon’s collection of downtown towers.

Besides creating a park-like setting where workers can recharge, the spheres will serve as a recruiting tool, says John Schoettler, who runs Amazon’s global real estate division and oversaw the project. Candidates interviewed in the spheres will leave with the impression that Amazon remains a forward-thinking company, he says.

“From the moment we started construction, people would stand on the street corners taking photographs,” Schoettler said. “This structure is about thinking big and thinking long term.”

Love them or hate them, Amazon is proving that they have a sense of creativity and a spirit of exploration with the addition of these glass spheres. And they can now add the term “Amazon rainforest” to their names. Read more about the project on Bloomberg:

The Spheres have a small public visitor center, but are mainly meant for employee use.

The largest sphere is over 90 feet tall, and has stair bridges and walkways that explore the enormous collection of tropical plants.

The glass orbs are a spherical contrast to the tall office towers that surround them.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos introducing The Spheres to the public.

Combining office spaces, lounge spaces, and a restaurant, The Spheres are a pretty incredible resource for Amazon employees.

Elevated walkways encourage exploration of the tropical rainforest atmosphere.

Living walls adorn the space.

The Spheres are complete with a huge “Alexa ring” that lights up the canopy.

Amazon’s chief horticulturist explaining the many plants inside The Spheres.

Over 40,000 plants from around the globe have been installed inside.

A view of busy Seattle streets from within The Spheres.

An elevated meeting area inside.

A lounge space at the very top of The Spheres.

A visitor perched over an observation point.

The most difficult part of the project was transporting “Rubi”, a 55-foot ficus tree, from southern California to Seattle, and lowering her into the giant sphere.

For decades, the pristine lungs of the world, the Amazon jungle, have been under attack by human encroachment. Millions of acres of virgin rainforest were slashed and burned for timber, development, and cattle grazing land. Palm oil plantations added a huge additional burden, robbing wild species of their home, and putting tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere. Not that the Amazon is free and clear now, but it is finally getting some help, with a huge new reforestation project announced by Conservation International and the Brazilian Ministry of Environment. The effort plans to plant 73 million trees in the Brazilian Amazon by 2023, which amounts to over 74,000 acres. Make no mistake, this is just a drop in the bucket for the Amazon and other rainforests that have seen massive habitat loss. Countries like Indonesia continue slashing and burning their pristine jungles for cheap palm oil plantations. But it is a step in the right direction.

The Amazon is home to the largest diversity of plants and animals on the planet. Who knows the unknown cures for diseases that the biodiversity holds, let alone new animals. Here’s a stat that sheds some light on the wonder of this place. Via My Modern Met:

Some 400 new species discovered in the Amazon between 2014 and 2015 alone.

Details via MMM:

To make a lasting impact, Conservation International has researched a well thought out process to ensure they hit their targets. It’s a new, more efficient planting technique known as muvuca, in which hundreds of native tree seeds from a variety of species are planted over every inch of the deforested land.