At first glance, this structure could be mistaken for a spaceship from the latest sci-fi blockbuster.
But the building is very real and is home to one of the most famous tech companies in the world.
Apple Park in Cupertino, California, has been Apple’s corporate headquarters since 2017.
While the tech giant is usually extremely restrictive about which visitors it allows inside, MailOnline’s Shivali Best was invited to visit the site for the iPhone 16 launch event this week.
From Apple-branded cafes to an observatory with a strict no-photo policy, here’s what really goes on inside the secretive Cupertino headquarters.
While the tech giant is usually extremely restrictive about which visitors it allows inside, MailOnline’s Shivali Best was selected to visit the site for the iPhone 16 launch event this week.
Having covered Apple’s annual iPhone launch events for years from the comfort of the office, I was thrilled to receive the invitation to attend this year’s event in person.
Staying at a nearby hotel, I had to overcome several obstacles before I could get close to Apple Park.
All visitors are required to wear an Apple lanyard on site, with different colors depending on their status.
I was given a bright green lanyard indicating my status as a journalist, while my cameraman, Frank, was given an orange lanyard.
We also went through an airport-style security check and had our luggage checked before we were finally allowed to board the bus and head off to Apple Park.
Upon arriving at the site, I was surprised at how difficult it was to locate the main building.
Despite measuring a whopping 2.8 million square feet, Apple has done an excellent job of hiding the massive building from passing traffic, using carefully placed trees.
I stayed at a nearby hotel and had to overcome several obstacles before reaching Apple Park.
Despite measuring a whopping 2.8 million square feet, Apple has done an excellent job of hiding the massive building from passing traffic, using carefully placed trees.
In fact, I can understand why Apple calls it Apple Park, with trees and green areas used throughout the 175-acre campus.
Once through the doors, the first thing that struck me was the size of “The Ring,” the main building that serves as a key hub for the site’s 12,000 employees.
The ring-shaped building is clad entirely in curved glass panels and has four floors; it could easily be mistaken for a modern art gallery.
We didn’t have much time to digest it, though, as Apple staff diligently steered us away from The Ring.
As we walked in the sunshine, pleasant music played from speakers lining the path, although a staff member later told me that this doesn’t happen every day.
Our next stop was the Steve Jobs Theater, which is situated on a hilltop overlooking The Ring.
The entrance is a 20-foot-high glass cylinder supporting a carbon fiber roof, while the 1,000-seat auditorium is located underground.
As we lucky attendees arrived, we were served a variety of delicious brunch snacks in this entrance hall, before being invited downstairs for the main event.
The auditorium itself is nothing to write home about, although the plush leather seats were noticeably more comfortable than those in most concert halls.
Once through the doors, the first thing that struck me was the size of “The Ring,” the main building that serves as a key hub for the site’s 12,000 employees.
The Steve Jobs Theater sits on a hilltop overlooking The Ring. The entrance (left) is a 20-foot-high glass cylinder supporting a carbon fiber roof, while the 1,000-seat auditorium is located underground.
At 10 a.m., Apple CEO Tim Cook took the stage to introduce the event, during which several interesting gadgets were unveiled: the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, Apple Watch 10, AirPods 4, and AirPods Max.
But the real chaos began almost two hours later, when the presentation ended and the mad rush to try out the new devices began.
Unbeknownst to me, a curtain at the back of the auditorium hid an area similar to an Apple Store, where hundreds of employees waited to show us the devices.
Influencers, journalists and even celebrities fought to be the first to get their hands on them, but fortunately the initial rush quickly died down and we were able to see the new devices with our own eyes.
Once we had gathered all the content we needed, we left the Steve Jobs Theater and headed to the Visitor Center, another aesthetically pleasing building with stone walls, terrazzo floors, and wide staircases.
The Visitor Center is another aesthetically pleasing building with stone walls, terrazzo floors and wide staircases.
The food throughout the venue was incredible, with brunch-style canapés served before the event and even Apple-branded coffees.
At this point we were starting to get tired and it was time for a much needed dose of caffeine.
I ordered a latte and was delighted when I was presented with a steaming cup, with an artistic apple-shaped latte drawing on top!
There was also a selection of sandwiches, snacks and drinks for us to enjoy while we wrote up our first impressions of the new devices.
Additionally, the Visitor Center has a gift shop and I thought it would be rude not to make a quick stop there.
Like any other Apple store, the gift shop offers a full range of Apple products, but also has a selection of exclusive products.
T-shirts, water bottles and mugs lined the walls, and there was even an Apple onesie on sale!
The last stop on my quick tour of Apple Park was the Observatory, the newest building on campus.
Like any other Apple store, the gift shop offers a full range of Apple products, but also has a selection of exclusive merchandise. T-shirts, water bottles and mugs adorned the walls, and there was even an Apple onesie on sale.
Like the Steve Jobs Theater, the Observatory is integrated into the landscape and surrounded by trees and green spaces.
Going down a curved path we reach a vaulted entrance, with a large circular window in the ceiling.
As the sun moves across the sky, the light entering through this circular window changes, producing a calming clock-like effect.
From this entrance we were led into the large, airy main room for our iPhone 16 briefing.
A balcony at the end of this room overlooked the entire campus, but unfortunately we were unable to take any photographs due to Apple’s strict “no photography” policy at the Observatory.
Just like that, my time at Apple Park was over and I took the bus back to my hotel.
It’s possibly one of the prettiest campuses I’ve ever explored, although I would have loved to have taken a look inside The Ring.
