Gensler
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Overview

A vibrant new home for 14,000 Amazonians in the nation's capital showcasing the possibilities of impact at a global scale from a local perspective.

Opportunity

As Amazon put down new roots on the East Coast, the challenge was bigger than building an office: create a headquarters that belonged here.

Amazon’s move to Arlington brought enormous scale and visibility to a community with a strong identity of its own. The company did not want HQ2 to feel like a West Coast outpost transplanted to Northern Virginia. At the same time, the pandemic was reshaping how and why people came to the office. Amazon needed a workplace that could support a hybrid, increasingly diverse workforce, create meaningful reasons to come together, and help employees, whether relocating or local, feel connected to both the company and the region.

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Why This Matters

  1. 01

    Scale With Responsibility

    A project of this size would inevitably impact its surroundings. Success meant strengthening the community as much as supporting the company, creating lasting value for the people and businesses already there.

  2. 02

    Evolving Expectations

    The pandemic changed what people needed from the office. Amazon had to rethink what made showing up worthwhile, creating more choice, flexibility, and meaningful opportunities to connect with teammates.

  3. 03

    More Than an Outpost

    HQ2 represented a major new chapter for Amazon. The workplace needed to establish a distinct identity while helping employees feel connected to both Amazon and the D.C. region.

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Solution

Hospitality-inspired planning and regional storytelling transformed 38 workplace floors into a headquarters experience uniquely tied to its surroundings.

Rather than approaching HQ2 as a traditional office, the design team looked to how great hospitality spaces shape experience, are tuned to comfort, and connect people with compelling stories. Across 38 workplace floors, employees can choose from a wide variety of settings that support different work styles, needs, and preferences throughout the day. The two towers also tell distinct stories about the DC region, drawing inspiration from the National Mall and the Potomac River to create an experience that feels deeply connected to its surroundings while remaining uniquely Amazon.

From brief to build: translating Amazon’s evolving workplace needs and the character of the D.C. region across two distinct towers.

With nearly two million square feet spread across two towers, the challenge was creating a workplace that could scale without losing its sense of character. The team studied how Amazonians work together, using those insights to shape neighborhoods, shared spaces, and a workplace experience that could adapt over time. Beyond the workplace, the design team immersed themselves in the culture, landscapes, food, music, and history of the region. Those influences became a rich collection of graphics, artwork, and installations that help employees discover something new as they move through HQ2.

Impact

HQ2 transformed Amazon’s arrival in Arlington into something larger: a workplace, a neighborhood destination, and a long-term community investment.

Employees responded especially to the range of settings, while LEED Platinum performance and local business participation gave the project measurable impact beyond the office.

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What Changed Because of This

  1. 01

    Community Investment

    The project extends Amazon’s investment beyond the office, adding public green space, local retail, safer bike connections, and new opportunities for nearby businesses.

  2. 02

    Workplace Choice

    The range of work settings became one of the most frequently praised parts of HQ2, giving employees more control over how they work each day.

  3. 03

    Environmental Performance

    LEED Platinum performance, renewable-energy operations, low-carbon concrete, and water reuse show how Amazon pushed sustainability strategies across a project of exceptional scale.

Jennifer Klein

Projects of this scale carry a unique responsibility. Across nearly two million square feet, even the smallest decisions shape how people experience the workplace every day. Amazon challenged us to be thoughtful about those details, and that made the partnership especially meaningful.

Jennifer KleinPrincipal

Recognition

01

Washingtonian

Employees who like their workspace are three times more likely to stay, with Amazon HQ2 recognized as a loyalty-inspiring office.

02

Costar

Metropolitan Park earns Commercial Development of the Year, recognized for its workplace, public space, sustainability, and broader impact on Arlington.

03

SEGD

Gensler’s placemaking artwork program for HQ2 was named a 2025 SEGD finalist for connecting Amazon’s workplace culture with the D.C. region.

FAQ

01

Where is Amazon HQ2 Metropolitan Park located?

Amazon HQ2 Metropolitan Park is in Arlington, Virginia, within National Landing, just outside Washington, DC.

02

How many employees can Amazon HQ2 Metropolitan Park accommodate?

Metropolitan Park has capacity for more than 14,000 Amazon employees across its two towers.

03

What inspired the design of Amazon HQ2?

The design draws inspiration from the Washington region, using the National Mall and the Potomac River as distinct themes across the two towers.

04

How are the two Amazon HQ2 towers different?

The two towers are named Jasper and Merlin. Jasper draws inspiration from the National Mall, celebrating the history, culture, and civic character of the Washington region. Merlin takes inspiration from the Potomac River, reflecting the area's landscapes, ecology, and connection to nature.

05

What makes Amazon HQ2 a sustainability leader?

The project advances sustainability at an unprecedented scale while supporting Amazon's Climate Pledge commitments. As the largest LEED v4 Platinum-certified building in the world, the project aligns with Amazon's Workplace Sustainability Guidelines and incorporates innovative strategies to reduce resource consumption and environmental impact. Water-saving measures, including rainwater harvesting, 75,000-gallon cisterns, and an on-site greywater reclamation system, reduce potable water use by 50%. The project also achieved embodied carbon savings of approximately 15,000 metric tons, equivalent to removing 3,000 cars from the road for a year, while high-performance building systems continue to deliver ongoing operational carbon reductions.

06

What amenities are available at Amazon HQ2?

Employees have access to a wide range of amenities, including outdoor terraces, wellness spaces, dog-friendly areas, social hubs, mothers' rooms, and a variety of work settings.