Amazon

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Understory at Amazon Spheres

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An immersive, multi-media visitor center for The Spheres, Amazon’s innovative experiment to create a workspace that’s more like a rainforest than an office.
Project
Understory at Amazon Spheres
Location
Seattle, Washington
Year
2017
Team
Principal: Kristine Matthews
Project Lead: Cassie Klingler
Designer: Jeffrey Underwood
Partners
Illustrator: Olivia Knapp
Media and Interactive Design: Belle & Wissell
Interior Architecture: Graham Baba Architects
Exhibition Management: Jill Randerson Exhibition Management
Fabricator: Dillon Works
Lighting Design: Niteo
Photography
Ben Benschneider
Categories
Exhibition

To explain the groundbreaking Spheres — part of their Seattle headquarters — Amazon established a free, public visitor center called Understory. The name refers to the lush habitat between the rainforest floor and canopy. We designed this free space to provide a fully immersive, 360-degree experience where visitors can get up close and personal with the science, engineering, and plants behind The Spheres. Surrounding the central media experience is a series of modular exhibits displaying architectural models, materials, hands-on interactives, and a rotating gallery of plants.

This project was the first of its kind for Amazon, and all components were designed to be removable through a standard-sized door, to ensure the space remains open and flexible. The project was the result of a close collaboration between Studio Matthews, Belle & Wissell and Graham Baba Architects.

Awards
Digital Signage Awards 2019, Workplace Communications, Winner
SEGD Global Design Awards 2019, Finalist
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