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Amazon wants to build a massive new headquarters in North America. It will be the second base of operations to supplement the existing headquarters in Seattle.

What is Amazon looking for?

When Amazon announced their plans, they asked cities to send in proposals to attract them.  The headquarters is expected to cost $5 billion to construct and will create about 50,000 new jobs. The stakes are high in what might be the largest corporate offer made to municipalities in recent history.

Amazon received 238 proposals from cities across the country, desperate to attract the retail giant. There are many strong contenders and no-one knows who they are going to pick.  Construction is expected to begin in 2019 and in the first phase, $300 million to $600 million will be spent on building offices. Eventually, the campus might grow to exceed 8 million square feet.

Amazon executive, Jeff Wilke, says the company will take a data-driven approach to selecting a site. They are looking for a metro-area with more than one million inhabitants and it must have quality transit options. Strong talents in developing software and related fields will also be a factor. They are also looking for a stable and business-friendly environment.

What will it look like?

Speculation is growing as to what these new headquarters will look like, especially with the construction of Apple’s new Apple Park, and Microsoft’s expansion plans.

Apple’s flying saucer-like building is over a mile around and surrounds an outdoor park. It features open-plan workspaces where employees will sit around large tables to encourage collaboration. It also has an indoor wellness center and outdoor walking and jogging trails. Steve Jobs received many of his ideas while walking in nature and he wanted his employees to experience the same. With this in mind, the outdoor areas include plenty of trees, a pond, and a meadow.

Microsoft’s new plans include creating new buildings with bigger, ecologically friendly replacements. The campus will feature public spaces such as retail spaces, outdoor dog parks, and playing fields. An open plaza that fits in 2,000 people will offer an area to play and learn. There will also be a two-way track separating cyclist from traffic and covered public walkways.

One innovation everyone is talking about is Microsoft’s new office spaces. A new type of work environment has been built for employees high up in the trees. These treehouses provide outdoor meetings spaces that are designed for employee collaboration in a space where nature has an impact on creativity and happiness.

Some ideas important to Amazon