Apple Campus Came Alive For WWDC 2022
HYPEBEAST attended Apple’s first in-person event since before the pandemic.
WWDC 2022 marked Apple’s first in-person keynote since before the pandemic. As one of the many media outlets invited to the big event, HYPEBEAST was able to witness first-hand the latest M2 MacBook Air, along with a host of new upgrades to iOS, WatchOS, MacOS and more.
Apple Park is pretty much everything you’d imagine it to be — sleek, bright, and made to transport visitors into another world. Designed by Foster + Partners, the new headquarters took four years to build and cost over $5 billion USD.
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The most striking feature is the massive orbital edifice, also known as The Ring — which consists of four stories of office spaces that are meant to accommodate up to 12,000 employees. There are also a number of outdoor facilities — including a gym, underground parking lot and wellness centers that are equally awe-inspiring.
Mirroring Apple’s own products, every corner of the space is thoughtfully crafted to be beautiful and functional. Although media was only allowed to enter select areas for the day, even the courtyard and cafeteria were designed with a purpose.
Long before the keynote even started, there was a buzz that permeated all around the Bay Area. Before the keynote, visitors and employees entered Apple’s 58,000-square-foot dining quarters known as Caffe Macs. There, the largest sliding doors in the world opened up to a tranquil courtyard, where Apple president Tim Cook and SVP Craig Federighi kicked off WWDC to a crowd of thousands of developers and global media outlets.
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It’s undeniable that there is constantly a feeling of inspiration that floats throughout the space.
Federighi was the highlight of the show — showcasing both the progression of Apple’s software while adding a whimsical element to the presentation through wardrobe changes. Amongst the highlights, the undo message feature received roarous applause from the crowd. Similarly, the crowd buzzed over the redesigned lock screen and its host of new customization options.
The highlight of the keynote came in the fully redesigned MacBook Air. Built with the upcoming M2 chip, the machine features a beautifully redesigned outer shell that departs from the previous bevel casing in favor of a softer unified body — similar to that of the new MacBook Pro. The 2022 MacBook Air is expected to release next month and will be available in four colors, including new additions, such as midnight and starlight.
Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
When the keynote ended, select media were invited across the campus, lined with native wildflowers and over 9,000 indigenous trees — an agricultural choice that was inspired by Steve Jobs’ love of the Stanford University campus. As we made our way to a spherical building, known as the Steve Jobs Theatre (SJT), Cook returned to greet audiences during an interactive showcase of the new MacBook Air. Boasting the world’s largest carbon-fiber roof, the two-story building is a fitting tribute to Apple’s legendary co-founder..
Apple Park was filled with energy for WWDC 2022, but there was a meditative flow all throughout the day — where you could hear everything from BADBADNOTGOOD‘s Talk Memory to Promises by Floating Points and Pharaoh Sanders. It’s unfair to give a true assessment of the campus from just a limited media visit. But it’s undeniable that there is constantly a feeling of inspiration that floats throughout the space — a true embodiment of the company’s storied legacy and dominance in the market.
In related news, here are the biggest announcements from Apple’s WWDC 2022.
