Amazon ‘Helix’: Ice Cream? Poop? No, It’s Amazon’s Proposed Headquarters
Image via Amazon
Amazon’s famous shape of an arrow with a smile now has a contender. The Helix, a new tower the company is planning to add to its HQ2 office complex in Arlington, Virginia, is a spiral structure with a wide base and a small peak.
But do you know what other things are spiral structures with wide bases and small peaks? Turns out, social media users can think of many. The shiny building, designed by architect NBBJ and unveiled in new concept art by Amazon, has been endearingly likened to ice cream, the poop emoji, a drill bit, and more.
“I mean I like it, but also, [poop emoji],” tweeted Vox senior reporter Rani Molla. “I was wondering how long it would be before we saw a building inspired by the poop emoji—and lo, Amazon has delivered,” joked Olly Wainwright, architecture and design critic at the Guardian.
Others saw the top of a soft-serve ice cream cone, and that’s fair, because Apple’s ice cream emoji was actually based on the poop icon.
Fox 5 anchor Steve Chenevey was more publicly welcoming of the design, and thought it bore “Christmas tree vibes.”
The Helix is part of the tech giant’s vision for sustainable development. Surrounded by lush native greenery, the double-helix tower is visualized as a place where nature and the urban environment intertwine.
According to Amazon, the building will present a number of distinct environments, with open and active spaces, for employees to work in. Its exterior will feature “two walkable paths of landscaped terrain… featuring plantings you may find on a hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia,” the company explained in a blog post.
The Helix will also be a holding spot for an upcoming artist-in-residence program, inviting local creators to draw inspiration from the foresty surroundings.
When the building opens, members of the public will be able to visit it on select weekends.
Image via Amazon
I was wondering how long it would be before we saw a building inspired by the 💩 emoji – and lo, Amazon has delivered https://t.co/eWrJUgDbxz
— Olly Wainwright (@ollywainwright) February 2, 2021
The new Amazon HQ rendering looks like a tree covered poop emoji. Change my mind. pic.twitter.com/wNBRHO6Q1O
— CescaTO (@giulio_plans) February 3, 2021
San Jose, CA: “We’ve got a public statue that resembles a poo.”
— That Dragon Guy (@PaintYourDragon) February 2, 2021
Arlington, VA: “Hold my beer…”
(Amazon HQ proposal) pic.twitter.com/ILbKM2eG5f
You're welcome. pic.twitter.com/iMe2jFNWKw
— Rani Molla (@ranimolla) February 2, 2021
You can't polish a turd, but you can greenwash it. pic.twitter.com/i8hq23kxBs
— Will Jennings (@willjennings80) February 2, 2021
Amazon’s HQ2 design for Crystal City. I have no idea how you’ll navigate inside that thing. “Meet me in the conference room on the third swirl by the eucalyptus grove.” Also, maybe unrelated, but I have a sudden craving for soft serve ice cream. pic.twitter.com/nqMDKwK1OW
— Steve Trimble (@TheDEWLine) February 2, 2021
I’ve now seen people describe Amazon’s forthcoming Arlington HQ tower as an upside-down drill bit, the top half of an ice-cream cone and a poop emoji.
— Brian Fung (@b_fung) February 2, 2021
Keep ‘em coming. What else? pic.twitter.com/gcOrDVOssJ
Getting Christmas Tree vibes from the new Amazon HQ2 design centerpiece in Arlington, VA (it’s 22 stories tall, called the Helix with walkable exterior green-space ramps) pic.twitter.com/wbBUo7EzNK
— Steve Chenevey FOX5 (@stevechenevey) February 2, 2021
[via Dezeen, images via Amazon]
