Apple’s iconic new “spaceship” headquarters, the brainchild of late co-founder Steve Jobs, is among the most architecturally impressive offices in the world. But how much did it cost?
Over the last few years, many people have wondered just how much Apple paid to build its expansive Apple Park, which includes its circular “Ring” main office building, a research-and-development building, and the 1,000-seat Steve Jobs Theater. Apple, for its part, declines to reveal so say.
However, BuildZoom, a service that helps users find general contractors, has estimated a price tag for the Cupertino, Calif. Campus. Using publicly available building permit information for 15 of Apple Park’s biggest structures, along with estimates on costs to build in Silicon Valley, BuildZoom believes Apple paid at least $1.2 billion.
According to BuildZoom, Apple (AAPL) paid a whopping $427.6 billion for its massive main Ring office building and nearly $180 million to construct the mostly underground Steve Jobs Theater. Apple’s employee gym cost another $16.7 million. A maintenance building likely set the company back an extra $2 million.
Get Data Sheet, Coins2Day ’s technology newsletter
Apple Park construction cost are admittedly tough to estimate. No outsiders have seen the contracts the company signed with builders.
However, most estimates have pegged the total Apple Park cost at $5 billion, including the cost to acquire the property, landscape the facility, plus other charges. BuildZoom’s estimate includes only the 15 “most notable” buildings on the site, and no additional costs.
Still, the data provides valuable insight into what it typically costs to build a 2.8-million-square-foot, glass, donut-shaped facility that can fit 12,000 employees.
Apple did not immediately respond to a Coins2Day request for comment.