California's Great America plans for 2023

Earlier this year, we got the sad news that Great America will be closing it's doors permanently at some point this decade. Fortunately, it appears that the theme park is going to make the most of it's remaining few years.

2023 has a full lineup of events and the park will be open for weekends all year long. New for 2023 will be a PEANUTS Celebration in April featuring Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Friday Nights at Great America will welcome live bands, food, and drinks. Red, White & Brews is a hometown celebration of Americana food and drinks with local beers and wines. Tricks and Treats is a toned down version of Halloween Haunt that is family friendly (no mazes or haunted houses unfortunately). Last but not least is WinterFest in November and December.

For all of the 2023 details, continue reading the press release below.

California’s Great America Plans Expanded Lineup of Events and New Attractions for 2023; Will Be Open for Weekends All Year

SANTA CLARA, CA (August 11, 2022) – California’s Great America, the region’s premier amusement park, is planning an exciting 2023 season that will include an expanded lineup of events, live shows, new attractions, thrilling rides, kid-sized fun and waterpark adventures. And the park will be open for weekends all year long beginning in January.

As part of the expanded calendar and additional operating days in 2023, the park is planning a full slate of new and returning events:

• PEANUTS Celebration (select dates in April) – New in 2023, the PEANUTS Gang comes out to play in a big way with this limited-time, special event where Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the gang will take over the entire park. Fans of all ages are invited to join the excitement with new live shows, Instagrammable moments, and activities for guests to play and interact with the PEANUTS Gang throughout the park. 
• Friday Nights at Great America (select Fridays, March to November): Returning for another season, guests can enjoy the best night of the week with live bands, amazing food, tasty drinks and favorite rides.
• Red, White & Brews (Select dates in June to July 4th): Join this hometown celebration of Americana food and fun as Great America's Hometown Square comes to life with live entertainment, gourmet food and locally sourced beer and wine. And there will be plenty of games and activities for the whole family.
• Carnivale at Orleans Place (Select dates in July): Immerse yourself in this larger-than-life New Orleans festival featuring bold Cajun flavors, Big Easy Live Bands, and ending with the Spectacle of Color Parade featuring a host of Mardi Gras floats. A dance party and spectacular fireworks high over Orleans Place finish off the evening. Let the good times roll!
• Tricks and Treats (Select dates in September and October): Halloween at Great America is as spook-tacular as ever. Tricks and Treats features all the Halloween fun and no fright. Guests of all ages will find ghastly great things to do as they choose their own path to follow through the lands of Icky Ville, Spooky Spires, Everfall and Sweet Tooth Acres. We invite the whole family to dress up for costume parties, play game shows, dance with spooky characters, and enjoy boo-licious food and drinks.
• WinterFest (Select dates in November and December): The Bay Area’s most immersive holiday event returns this year, sparkling brighter than ever before. WinterFest brings holiday cheer to California’s Great America as the park is magically transformed into a winter wonderland and holiday festival.

In addition to this full calendar of fun events for 2023, park guests can also enjoy the recently expanded and upgraded All-American Corners area. It includes The Corner Notes musical song and dance show, expanded food options and two classic rides. Liberty Twirler is a brand-new spin on a classic midway ride that has been thrilling guests for decades. Long-time guests of Great America will instantly recognize Orbit, which spins back into action as part of the expanded area.

Park-goers will continue to enjoy the value of two parks for the price of one when they experience the thrilling slides and refreshing splashes of South Bay Shores waterpark – included with park admission. Featuring exciting water attractions, diverse and delicious food locations, premium cabanas and shaded lounge areas, South Bay Shores reflects the unique character of the South Bay region.

“California’s Great America is in the business of delivering fun and lifelong family memories. With our expanded operating calendar in 2023, guests will have more opportunities than ever to experience all that Great America has to offer,” said Barb Granter, general manager. “Between our exciting and expanded events lineup, thrilling and family-friendly rides, and everything our guests love about South Bay Shores waterpark, there’s something for everyone.”

Enjoy unlimited visits for the rest of 2022 plus all of the excitement planned in 2023 with a 2023 Gold Pass. You'll get visits to Great America, South Bay Shores, the new Tricks and Treats, WinterFest, exclusive discounts, and more. 2023 Gold Season Passes are now available for the lowest price of the year – as low as $95 or 11 payments of only $7, after initial payment plus fees. A season pass pays for itself in fewer than two visits. Purchase a Gold Pass between August 11 – 14 and enjoy one free Fast Lane to be used one day this fall. For more information and to purchase a 2023 season pass, please visit here.

About California’s Great America

California’s Great America is a 115-acre theme and waterpark located in Santa Clara, California. As Northern California’s premier amusement park, featuring thrill rides, live entertainment, and South Bay Shores waterpark, California’s Great America is the top destination for thrill-seekers and families alike. 

About Cedar Fair Entertainment Company

California’s Great America is owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: FUN), a publicly traded partnership and one of the largest regional amusement-resort operators in the world. For more information, see www.cedarfair.com. 

Great America 2020 Announcements

Last week I had the opportunity to learn more about Great America's 2020 plans for events and new attractions. The big news is the expansion and re-branding of the water park from Boomerang Bay to South Bay Shores. Just about everything in the existing park will be updated and they are in the process of doubling the size of the water park. There will be seven new water attractions this year: four drop slides, two tube slides, and a kid-friendly lagoon area with private cabanas. Admission is included

They also announced three new festivals:

• Spring Fiesta – This three-weekend-long festival celebrates Hispanic culture with authentic food, live music and entertainment. Each weekend brings a different focus: Dia del Nino (April 25–26) offers kid-friendly crafts, games and activities; Cinco de Mayo (May 2–3) brings traditional, folkloric dance; and Latin Music Festival (May 9–10) showcases Bay Area performers.
• Monster Jam® Thunder Alley™ – Popular Monster Jam® trucks roll into Great America this summer, offering a larger-than-life experience where park guests can get nose-to-grille, sit inside and even take an adrenaline-charged ride in a Monster Jam truck. Meet-and-greets with drivers, a themed kids play area and the Monster Jam garage round out the limited-time event, which takes place June 20–July 12.
• Carnivale at Orleans Place – Authentic New Orleans food, glittering floats and costumed street performers come together in a unique nighttime festival that marries the best of Great America’s fan-favorite Taste of Orleans event with the excitement and vibrancy of Mardi Gras. Highlighting the festival is the Spectacle of Color full-scale parade, with extravagantly decorated floats and performers who draw the audience into the action. The exclusive event takes place nightly July 18–August 2.

The "Red, White and Brews" beer festival, Halloween Haunt, and WinterFest will all return this year. Halloween Haunt will get a brand new Asian-themed maze called Shadowlands. Oh, and several new food offerings will be available throughout the year such as fish tacos and sesame chicken on a crispy fried wonton. I hear Micheladas will be available as well inside the park.

It seems like an action packed year, I'm especially looking forward to Carnivale and Halloween Haunt this year!

For more info head over here.

Great America WinterFest 2019

Now that the rain has stopped, it's the perfect time to go out and enjoy the holiday amenities around San Jose. Great America's WinterFest has a strong showing this year with almost all of the rides open, including the two newest roller coasters RailBlazer and Gold Striker. There are 10 different holiday-themed shows, ice skating, interactive cookie decorating, arts & crafts, and festive food throughout the park. If you're with small children, I'd recommend heading over to Camp Snoopy for a dozen toddler-friendly rides.

Every corner of the park was decked out and I had a great time just walking through each themed area and seeing the decorations. There's even a section with fire pits this year.

WinterFest runs until December 31st and is open every day except for the 21st, 24th, and 25th. Tickets start at $27 a person ($19 if you know someone with a season pass) and are available over here.

WinterFest at California's Great America

Great America's WinterFest is already in full swing. The theme park is completely decked out for the Holidays. Just like Halloween this year, they did an outstanding job with the decorations. Most of the rides are operating and there are holiday surprises around every corner--carolers, a dance troop on a trolley, costumed entertainers. The lake at the entrance of the park is now an ice skating rink and the food vendors are now offering holiday classics.

New this year are WinterFest igloos. These are cozy heated lounges that you can rent for the whole day in the park. They come with food and beverage delivery, a concierge, reserved seating at shows, and complimentary ice skating or carriage riding. I was able to test them out at a media event and was really impressed. It's a novel concept for those that want the full VIP experience and are willing to pay for it (the rental fee is $299 for a party of four).

Tickets to WinterFest start at only $19.50. For more information, click here.

RailBlazer is the new coaster at Great America for 2018

Today Great America's new Railblazer roller coaster is officially open to the public. The unique ride will be the first of its kind on the West Coast. There is a single track and riders sit single-file straddling the rail. This enables tighter turns than most coaster. The ride is 106 feet tall and reaches 52 MPH.

I was able to experience it firsthand a couple hours ago. To make sure I fully understood the experience, I went on the ride three times--once in the very front row which was well worth the extra wait time! Even though the ATV-themed ride is only about 30 seconds long, it is one of the most intense roller-coasters I have ever been on. The initial drop is completely vertical and is quickly followed by three very tight inversions. The whole ride is silky smooth unlike some of the older coasters that toss you around (e.g. Demon and Patriot, formerly Vortex). Flight Deck is still my favorite ride at Great America, but Railblazer is a close second.

In addition to the new coaster, California's Great Amercia has also expanded food options. The park now has a full-service Starbucks, an expanded menu and outdoor dining at Maggie's Smokehouse & Fried Chicken, and a new family-friendly restaurant called Sierra Creek Lodge. Even the restrooms have been fully renovated and are the nicest I have seen in a theme park. I'm thrilled to see that Cedar Fair is living up to their promise to invest and improve the park. If you haven't been to Great America in a while, now is a great time to see what's new.

For more info on RailBlazer and Great America, click here.

Developer proposing a 10.5 million SQFT project in Santa Clara with a 50-story skyscraper!

The tallest project in Silicon Valley history was just proposed--to the Santa Clara City Council. While not in San Jose proper, this would have a tremendous impact on San Jose as it would push forward what is considered acceptable vertical development in the metro.

This behemoth project by Chinese developer Kylli would clock in at 3.5 million SQFT of office, 400,000 SQFT of Amenities, 6 million SQFT of residential (~6,000 units), 600,000 SQFT of retail, and around 8 acres of open space. As you can see from the drawing below, it would include nearly two dozen towers, with the tallest being a 50-story office building which at 600 feet would be twice as tall as anything in Downtown San Jose.

Despite totaling 10.5 million SQFT of development, it would utilize less than 50 acres at the former Yahoo campus. To put that in perspective, Related's 9.1 million SQFT mixed-use project across from Levi's Stadium will use 240 acres. What Kylli is proposing really should be the level of density we look towards in future projects if we plan to build enough housing to keep prices at bay and enable communities where you can work, live, and play without needing to drive.

While I would have much rather seen a project like this proposed for San Jose proper, I have to root for this to go forward and hopefully motivate our city to follow suit with similar projects. Google will be a gamechanger for Downtown, but we need to start looking at other parts of the city (not limited by the airport) where we have the opportunity to build extremely dense world-class villages. Think Bigger San Jose has a similar perspective on this project. This will surely be a proposal we'll keep close tabs on!

Source: SVBJ

Super Bowl Watch Party at Bourbon Steak & Pub

What better place to watch the big game than at the location of Super Bowl 50? Michael Mina's Bourbon Steak & Pub will be transformed into a special culinary extravaganza on February 4th from 11am to 9pm.

The $49/person all-inclusive menu highlights items from the restaurant's new BBQ smoker, including Allen Brothers beef brisket, baby back ribs, and BBQ chicken spicy sausage links. There are also vegetarian-friendly options like marinated portabella mushrooms, braised greens, mac 'n cheese, potato salad, backed beans, and brussel cole slaw--not to mention plenty of desserts like Michael Mina's signature cookies.

Tickets are available over here.

Winterfest at California's Great America opens Nov 24

Ice Skating, Rides, Snow Falling, Millions Of Lights & Santa To Deliver Merriment

SANTA CLARA, CA – The Bay Area’s newest and most immersive holiday tradition, WinterFest, opens at California’s Great America on Friday, November 24 and will entertain guests on select dates through December 30. During WinterFest, Great America will be magically transformed into a winter wonderland where guests can experience unique new features, as well as fan favorites such as skating in front of the iconic Carousel Columbia, admiring magnificent displays of lights and décor, viewing spectacular live holiday shows, experiencing 25 rides and attractions, seeing Santa’s workshop and Mrs. Claus’ kitchen, and enjoying scrumptious holiday fare at numerous dining locations.

This unmatched event will feature more than 7 million LED lights, creating such a vibrant experience that it will be visible from the International Space Station, more than 270 miles away. The winter scene will be dominated by one of the Bay Area’s tallest Christmas trees adorned with thousands of twinkling lights accompanied by giant toy soldiers greeting guests. The six-week WinterFest celebration will be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with daily operations December 19-23 and 26-30 from 5pm-10pm(November 26 and December 17 from 6:30pm-10:30pm).

New for 2017 will be an enlarged crafters area where more than 20 Bay Area artisans will showcase their talents, an expansion of Candy Cane Lane, one of the most photographed scenes in 2016, and a fire pit setting to keep guests warm near the Patriot roller coaster.  Also in 2017, every Planet Snoopy ride, including GR8 SK8, PEANUTS 500, Woodstock Express, Sally’s Love Buggies and more, will be open and providing fun for kids and parents alike.

There will also be a soothing hospitality room under the magical light show inside Orleans Place that will benefit the Boys & Girls Club of America. The tranquil area will provide a warm and relaxing destination for WinterFest guests, where they can enjoy the indoor ambience and make a donation to the club that will bring cheer to thousands of Bay Area youth.

“WinterFest is one of Northern California’s most spectacular winter events, delivering a unique experience where friends and families can create memories and traditions during the holiday season,” Great America’s Vice President and General Manager Raul Rehnborg said. “New additions for 2017 will create a dynamic experience for returning and first-time guests.”

Eight unique and decorative themed areas will guide attendees through WinterFest. Guests can gaze at 20 ft. tall candy canes in Candy Cane Lane, experience the wonder of snow falling in Hometown Square, admire Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree in Planet Snoopy, and stare up at the lighted palm trees inside the Grand Entrance.

Live shows include a nightly tree lighting, carolers throughout the park, “It’s Christmas, Snoopy!” ice show and more. Holiday crafters will design unique creations and guests will interact with original holiday characters, including Jack Frost, Candy Cane and the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Children will delight in decorating cookies with Mrs. Claus, taking a picture with Santa and writing holiday letters to family members. Food specialties will include eggnog funnel cakes, peppermint churros, a turkey dinner sandwich, all-you-can-drink hot chocolate and many more traditional holiday favorites. (Some activities require additional fee.)

Among the 25 rides and attractions entertaining guests will be Gold Striker and Patriot roller coasters for thrill seekers, the iconic Carousel Columbia and Flying Eagles family rides and all of Planet Snoopy for younger guests.

Throughout WinterFest from 5pm-7pm (excluding November 26 and December 1 and 17) patrons can enjoy the WinterFEAST buffet for $16.49 (plus tax) that includes roast turkey with festive dressing, baked ham, mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, vegetarian baked pasta, tossed salad, dessert squares, Christmas cookies and fountain drinks.

Single day tickets are available online for as low as $25, and admission to WinterFest is included with a 2017 or 2018 Gold or Platinum Pass. 2018 Gold Season Passes are currently available online and include unlimited visits to California’s Great America and Gilroy Gardens, admission to Halloween Haunt and WinterFest, free season-long Great America parking, early entry into Boomerang Bay water park, discounts on select meals and merchandise and bring-a-friend discount offers.

California’s Great America is currently hiring for WinterFest with opportunities available in all areas of park operation. Apply online at cagreatamerica.com/jobs.

CALIFORNIA’S GREAT AMERICA

California’s Great America is a 100-acre theme and water park located in Santa Clara, Calif. that contains thrill rides, family attractions and live shows. The park opens for weekends in March, operates daily Memorial Day weekend through mid-August, continues weekends through fall with Halloween Haunt, and the season concludes in December with WinterFest.

CEDAR FAIR

California’s Great America is owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: FUN), a publicly traded partnership and one of the largest regional amusement-resort operators in the world. The Company owns and operates 11 amusement parks, two outdoor water parks, one indoor water park and five hotels. For more information, see www.cedarfair.com.

The Big Easy Rolls into Great America

This past weekend, Great America brought back their Taste of Orleans festival. Who Dat? In its second season, Taste of Orleans features Cajun cuisines, live entertainment such as mask decorating for kids, Mardi Gras murals, chalk artists, live music and more!

If you missed it, don’t fret as Great America plays host to the Nola event again this upcoming weekend: July 29-July 30.

Great America did a great job at bringing a taste of the Big Easy to Silicon Valley! Classic Cajun dishes such as gumbo, etouffée and beignets were on site and definitely were delicious. To our delight, the hushpuppy shrimp skewers was a hit and the crisp frog legs with Creole aoli was savory and on point!

Great America’s nightcap was a firework display that featured a kaleidoscope of colors in the sky!

Hushpuppy Shrimp Skewers:                             Crawfish Etouffée:

   Crisp Frog Legs w/Creole Aoili:               Blackened Catfish Slider w/Tangy Slaw:

                        

Beignet (Left) & Praline Bread Pudding (Right):                              Brews!                                                     

        Live chalk artist and games for the family!

Great America's Taste of Orleans starts at Noon - 9pm on 7/29 - 7/30. The fireworks display starts at 9:45pm each day. Cajun cuisine is available with a $25 tasting card.

For more details on Taste of Orleans, visit: https://www.cagreatamerica.com/play/events/taste-of-orleans

2017 Season Passes are currently on sale for just $69 and features a season of fun in both Great America and Boomerang Bay Water Park. A $105 Gold Pass includes Halloween Haunt, WinterFest, free Great America parking, Gilroy Gardens and more.

By Andrew Rivlin and Noe Sacoco Jr

Taste Of Orleans Festival at Great America on July 22-23 & 29-30

The annual "Taste Of Orleans" festival is transporting California's Great America to Louisiana for the next two weekends. Access to the event is included with admission.

The event features traditional Cajun cuisine including crawfish etouffée, chicken and andouille sausage gumbo over rice, hushpuppy shrimp skewers with Cajun dipping sauce, crispy frog legs with creole aioli, blackened catfish sliders, and either classic beignets, or praline bread pudding for dessert. A tasting card with six selections is only $25. You can also pick up muffuletta pizza and bananas Foster funnel cakes a-la-carte. 

Orleans Place will also host family-friendly entertainment such as live music, stilt walkers, and chalk art. A fireworks show will cap the event each night at 9:45pm. 

If this is anything like the Great America Red, White & Brews event, it will raise the bar for the type of food you would expect in a theme park. The menu sounds outstanding!

For more information, the full press release is below and you can buy park admission tickets over here.

Taste Of Orleans Festival Returns To Great America July 22-23 & 29-30

Cajun & Orleans Food, Live Music And Décor In Orleans Section Of Great America

SANTA CLARA, CA – California’s Great America will once again bring its Orleans Place to life with the Taste Of Orleans festival July 22-23 and 29-30. Taste Of Orleans features live Cajun music, midway entertainment, regional food and drink and will be open to all Great America guests. To close each evening, a Taste Of Orleans fireworks show set to Cajun music will decorate the sky.

Cajun cuisine available with a $25 tasting card includes crawfish etouffée, chicken and andouille sausage gumbo over rice, hushpuppy shrimp skewers with Cajun dipping sauce, crispy frog legs with creole aioli, blackened catfish sliders with tangy slaw and a choice of classic beignets or praline bread pudding. Additional Orleans foods available a la carte include muffuletta pizza and bananas Foster funnel cakes.

“The response to Taste Of Orleans from our guests last year was incredible and we’re excited to bring back the event in 2017,” said California’s Great America vice president and general manager Raul Rehnborg. “In addition to traditional amusement park fun, Great America is committed to building on our tradition of live entertainment options.”

A chalk artist will paint Mardi Gras murals throughout the festival and there will be mask decorating for kids 12 and under.

2017 Season Passes are currently on sale for just $69 and features a season of fun in both Great America and Boomerang Bay Water Park. A $105 Gold Pass includes Halloween Haunt, WinterFest, free Great America parking, Gilroy Gardens and more.

Great America is currently hiring for the 2017 season and applicants can apply online at https://www.cagreatamerica.com/jobs.

CALIFORNIA’S GREAT AMERICA

California’s Great America is a 100-acre theme and water park located in Santa Clara, CA that contains thrill rides, family attractions and live shows. The park opens for weekends in March, operates daily Memorial Day through mid-August, continues weekends through fall with Halloween Haunt, and the season concludes in December with WinterFest.

CEDAR FAIR

California’s Great America is owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company (NYSE: FUN), a publicly traded partnership and one of the largest regional amusement-resort operators in the world. The Company owns and operates 11 amusement parks, two outdoor water parks, one indoor water park and five hotels. For more information, see www.cedarfair.com. www.cagreatamerica.com

Embracing Urbanism - Part I - NVIDIA's Endeavor

This is the first in a new series here at The San Jose Blog; Silicon Valley - Embracing Urbanism.

Silicon Valley has gone through numerous phases of tech expansion with most recent growth focused on next generation workspaces and flagship campus development. While the corporate campus is not a new phenomenon, Silicon Valley has become synonymous with tilt up concrete low rise warehouses and land consumptive single family development for decades. This modular approach allowed companies to be nimble while growing or retracting with the ebbs and flows of the economy.  

Technology today is much more ingrained and rooted in our daily lives. With this, many tech firms have had unprecedented growth and large workforce requirements. With land values at a premium and traffic congestion at an all time high, there is pressure to rethink our built fabric. While planners, politicians, and thought leaders propose higher density, it also requires our region's main stakeholder, the technology sector, to act. The technology sector holds capital and resources to demand new innovation in workspace and campus design.  At the same time, the character and form of their campus reinforces brand, collaboration, and role in the community.

Among the most recent campus developments, Samsung Semiconductor completed their North American “cube” headquarters in North San Jose in 2015. Apple is nearing completion of the Apple Campus 2 in Cupertino aka “the spaceship” with it’s signature landscape open space in the center. Facebook completed their Building 20, a 430,000 square feet single open room in Menlo Park and landscaped green roof. Google has their “tent” campus plans moving forward in Mountain View as well as plans for upwards of six million square feet in the Diridon development in Downtown San Jose. (The San Jose Blog plans to cover this development in more depth in a future article).

Images left to right, Samsung Semiconductor, Apple Campus 2, Facebook Building 20, Google Mountain View, taken from their respective website.

NVIDIA, an industry leader in graphics, deep learning, and most recently self driving technology, embarked on a multi-year campus redevelopment to meet projected staffing demands. Internally known as endeavor, the project has undergone multiple design phases, scope changes, and municipal review. In 2015, NVIDA’s new campus began to take shape, with completion slated for late this year.

Image: NVIDIA Endeavor Phase 1, Walsh & San Thomas Expressway in Santa Clara (2015)

Earlier this year, NVIDIA and SPUR graciously hosted a tour of the first phase of their new campus at the intersection of Walsh and San Tomas Expressway in Santa Clara. As other players in the tech space have developed iconic shapes, NVIDIA’s CEO Jen-Hsen Huang and design team looked to their own product for inspiration. Triangles; the basis for modern computer graphics became the perfect shape for connecting users and encouraging collaboration. As part of the design process, NVIDIA developed IRAY, a proprietary rendering engine to view the space in 3D with accurate lighting and materials in real time.

Here are some fast facts about NVIDIA’s Project Endeavor:

• 500,000 square feet
• Capacity for 2,300-2,500 employees
• 1,400 parking spaces
• 120 triangular skylights
• Minimal use of elevators
• $370m on time & budget
• Developer - Sares Regis
• Architect - Gensler
• Interior Architect – Gensler
• Landscape Architect – TGP
• General Contractor - DEVCON

Image: Phase 1, with NVIDIA’s campus to the left and right. 400ft Aerial Photography (2017)

The impressive structure is oriented as a series of two floors over below grade parking. While there are visible entries from San Tomas, the main entry is underground at the center, focused upwards. This unique arrangement enables employees to park or be dropped off under the main building and enter a triangular atrium through a “grand” staircase, linking multiple mezzanines and two main floors.

The tech scene’s mandatory dining space has a stadium seating amphitheater for presentations or impromptu meetings. The upper floor is host to a “bar” for spontaneous creative collaboration. As the focus of the new campus is to drive innovation through “creative collisions”, all circulation generally returns to the central triangular atrium. The main open floor workspaces are configured with raised floors for flexible realignment over time. These open floor plates are second only to the contiguous floor area of Facebook’s Building 20.

Exterior entry

Entrance to the Heart

As machine learning and technology advances, the campus will be monitored through automated systems capable of tracking individuals on campus. The tour took place prior to finish installation with the concrete and steel giving a cold appearance. It was revealed on the tour, wood and textiles will be introduced to soften and add warmth to the design.

Stadium seating oriented towards dining and common space.

Open Floor Plan, over open floor substrate

The Heart, “Designed to Inspire”, some of the 120 skylights in roof structure.

Triangular Atrium and Grand Stair, within the Heart.

Glass Exterior, parking entrance seen below

Bridge connecting upper mezzanines. (Reminiscent of a Deathstar bridge)

While the campus is generally open, there are no public spaces. However, the campus will have a series of walking trails and landscaped berms along the edge of the campus. Since the building’s capacity will exceed the number of parking provided, NVIDIA intends to rely on commuter shuttles, cycling, and future self driving services to offset the traditional demand for a 1:1 car to human ratio. Employees are able to take shuttles from nearby Caltrain stations to make a quick connection to the Peninsula and San Jose.

Rendering from San Thomas; Gensler (2013)

Through advanced computer modeling and continuous refinement, the building seeks to reduce the impact on the environment through 75% reduction of potable water, reduced electrical grid demand through use of smart lighting, skylights, solar, and continued optimization.  Further optimization is achieved through a network of sensors for future automation and machine learning.  The building is slated for LEED Gold which is a monumental for a project of this size and scope.

I was very impressed with the project and look forward to seeing NVIDIA’s final product. It is worth stating NVIDIA’s CEO and board took this project through many iterations over many years with the end result better for it. I commend their efforts for efficiency and reduction of demand on the automobiles.

As future phases of this campus are built, it will help redefine the suburban office park. Time will tell if all future phases are realized, but as machine learning and self driving cars demand, more growth and future phases will likely take place.

Thanks to John O’Brien of NVIDIA and Noah Christman of SPUR for providing an in-depth preview of the Endeavor project.  Check out endeavor.nvidia.com for updates from NVIDIA.

Initial rendering of Phase 1 and 2.  Presently Phase 1 is under construction: NVIDIA (2013)

-Andrew Rivlin