Amazon founder Jeff Bezos opened up the company’s first “office” from his garage in Bellevue, Washington in 1994. Though the company now requires a bit more space than that garage can provide, Amazon’s love for its hometown remains strong. Our Puget Sound headquarters includes office buildings across Seattle, Bellevue, and Redmond, along with several spaces for the community like the Spheres, an Amazon Web Services Skills Center, and the Mary’s Place shelter for people experiencing homelessness.
I’ve had the opportunity to explore some of the cool things at Amazon’s Puget Sound headquarters while working from the iconic Day 1 building at the center of campus. Here’s a tour of some of the unique spaces and features that help make Amazon’s headquarters a hub for creativity and innovation.
Like any day at the office, a day at Amazon’s Puget Sound headquarters begins with the commute. Amazon offers a variety of perks to make the commute more sustainable and convenient, including free public transportation and reimbursement for bike purchases and maintenance.
As a bike commuter, one of my favorite parts of the Day 1 building at Amazon’s Puget Sound headquarters is the bike cage. It has amenities like bike repair stations that come in handy when you have a flat tire, charging stations for e-bikes, and lockers and showers to freshen up before starting the day.
Dogs are also welcome at buildings across Amazon’s Puget Sound headquarters. Employees can register their furry friends to bring them to the office—the reception desk even hands out dog treats to help them get a good start to the work day.
Once you scan your badge and walk through the turnstiles, you’re greeted by a lush living wall with terrariums and aquariums. I like to stop and check on my fish friends on the way in.
Of course, no morning would be complete without a little caffeine. The Day 1 building has a coffee shop with specialty drinks, pastries, and an assortment of savory snacks.
There’s also a seating area nearby that makes for a nice spot to take your first meeting of the day over coffee or breakfast.
One of my favorite things about working from Day 1 is the views. The workspaces look out over the city, showcasing some of its most notable features, like the Puget Sound, Lake Union, and the Space Needle.
There are also soundproof phonebooths throughout the building that make it easy to take calls on the fly.
And, of course, lots of conference rooms for projects that require team collaboration.
When it comes time for lunch, the cafeteria offers a variety of tasty options, including fresh-made salads, ramen, and sandwiches. I like to build a custom salad with plenty of candied walnuts.
The cafeteria also features some of my favorite art installations and murals. Like the hallway full of blue neon lights, and the mural of Jimi Hendricks and Janis Joplin.
There are also amazing local restaurants on the street level. There are more than 50 retailers across Amazon's headquarters, including Marination, Anar, and 2120. If you’re in the mood for a delicious grain bowl, I recommend the Mujadara bowl from Anar, which is located in the Breezeway near the Doppler building next door to Day 1 and the Spheres.
Seattle is known for its rain, but locals will say that’s what makes the sunny days even more special. If it’s a nice day, many employees head to the playfield in front of Day 1 to eat and hang out with colleagues. The playfield also hosts free events for the community and visitors during the summer months.
The community banana stand is also located on the playfield, offering fresh, free bananas for employees and community members who stop by. Many of the office dogs love the banana stand just as much as their owners do.
Another popular spot for doggos is the fully stocked dog park, which offers amenities like a fire hydrant, turf, and a hose so pups can play off some of their energy during their lunch break. As you can see, Joey’s favorite feature is the hose.
Fortunately for Joey’s mom, the Doppler building has a paw wash station where employees can clean their pups up before heading back into the office.
Sometimes, employees need a play break before heading back to work too. The top floor of Day 1 offers games, space to gather with friends, and even more incredible views of the city.
On days when I get a particularly pesky case of writer’s block after lunch, I head to one of the unique work spaces on campus to get a change of scenery. One of my favorite spots is the Spheres, located just outside of the Day 1 building. The facility offers over 55,000 square feet of tranquil space to work among a variety of plants, trees, aquariums, and terrariums.
Another cool spot to work and brainstorm is the living room on the first floor. The colorful room inspires a bit of creativity and offers comfy seating and plenty of work stations.
There’s also a unique art piece made of real, paperback books inside the reading room next door to the living room. All of the books were ready to be retired by their owners, and a team recycled them to make this cool piece of art.
One unique work space I’ve yet to scope out is the Harry Potter room inside the Doppler building. That’s next on my list.
Toward the end of the day, many teams descend upon the terraces of Amazon’s Puget Sound office buildings for happy hours and get togethers.
It’s at about this time when I head to the Amazon Go store at the base of Day 1 to figure out my last-minute dinner plans before the ride home. The Just Walk Out technology is a lifesaver to beat the post-work lines at other grocery stores.
When it comes time to leave campus for the night, lights illuminate along the sidewalks and inside the Spheres to offer employees a proper sendoff to the commute.
