Go with the Flow
Amazon / Seneca Group, Amazon Visitor Landing
Interiors, Workplace
From its origins in the Alleghany Mountains to the cascading rapids of Great Falls and its climactic finale at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, the Potomac River connects people to nature. The lifeline of the Mid-Atlantic region, this vigorous waterway inspired the design vocabulary of Amazon Visitor Landing at the company's HQ2 at Metropolitan Park in Arlington, VA - a flexible exhibit and event space sited a half mile from the Potomac’s riverbank.
The highly visible and biophilic environment serves as a canvas for Amazon’s storytelling and provides an inside look at the people and innovations who bring the magic of Amazon to life. Fluid forms, organic contours, and dimensional artwork contribute to an immersive environment that is at once serene and dynamic. Visitors are invited to meander, explore, and interact with Amazon within a warm, tactile atmosphere.
The curated experience begins on South Eads Street in Arlington's National Landing neighborhood, where undulating copper panels gently guide visitors to a public-facing entry. At dusk, backlighting illuminates the panels’ abstract perforation to emit a dappled glow. Flanking the entry, a double-sided window display invites curious passersby to explore the A to Z of Amazon, highlighting innovations and products beloved by customers, from Alexa to Amazon Fashion and the company’s commitment to sustainability and climate.
Location
Arlington, Virginia
Square Feet
8,000
Completion date
2023
Project Component
Interior Design
Environmental Graphic Design
Space Planning
A retail frontage along South Eads afforded a prime opportunity for a double-sided exhibit, piquing the curiosity of visitors and passersby alike.
From the entry, visitors emerge into a fluid multipurpose exhibit room enveloped by a curving, textural wood ribbon composed of dimensional horizontal slats. The winding and erosive form guides visitors along a path of discovery studded with multisensory displays. ZGF worked with Jill Randerson Exhibit Management and Chicago Scenic Studios to conceive of, design, and fabricate a series of high-tech and hyper flexible exhibits. These custom installations creatively integrate video, sound, lighting, sculpture, and information to shape an engaging learning experience.
Flexibility was paramount to allow Amazon Visitor Landing welcome Met Park’s neighbors, visitors, and customers alike. A custom island is mounted on casters and can function either as a welcome desk or as a hospitality station serving food and beverage. The facility is further supported by a full catering kitchen, green room, and two adjoining flexible meeting spaces. To maintain exhibits’ relevance over time, digital content is readily updatable through a user-friendly CMS platform, a continuous structural unistrut provides long-term exhibit flexibility, and a modularized structural window display allows content to evolve and rotate.
ZGF partnered with a Virginia-based millworker to craft Amazon Visitor Landing's custom wood feature wall.
Flexible furnishings enable a seamless transition from free-flowing exhibit space to a formal event setting.
Custom light sculptures and soundscapes engage the senses and shape an immersive experience.
Art and experiential graphics are further layered in the richly textured environment. Commissioned pieces by artists Gabriel Schama of Oakland and Brittany Gould, a DC-born artist based in Berlin, harmonize with the space’s material language and conceptual theme. Environmental graphics created by ZGF’s graphic design team add another dimension, with hidden Easter egg elements further piquing visitors’ curiosity.
Amazon's obsession with the visitor experience necessitated creating a welcoming and accessible environment. Check-in desks and exhibits are easily reached by wheelchair users, visual and audio content are paired for those with vision or hearing impairment, gently sloped flooring eliminates the need for a separate accessibility ramp, and gender-neutral bathrooms promote inclusivity and safety. By eliminating barriers, Amazon Visitor Landing fosters a place where all are welcome to convene and discover.
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