Brandon Donnelly — Daily insights for city builders. Published since 2013 by Toronto-based real estate developer Brandon Donnelly. — Page 668

Swiss supermarket chain, Migros, has just launched what is being called the first store in Switzerland to not have any employees . The concept, called the Voi Cube, is a small container-like outparcel space that is open 24/7 and offers about 500 or so everyday items. You enter using their app, you grab what you need, and then you check yourself out. (Presumably the doors don't open back up until you've paid.)

The concept is being positioned as a convenience add-on to its existing grocery store business. Swiss federal labor laws still prohibit retail staff from working on Sundays, and so this is a clever way for people to shop for essentials during that time. They just got rid of the labor component. It also begins to show just how flexible and adaptable grocery stores can be as the retail landscape continues to evolve.

Amazon unveiled the design for part of its new HQ2 campus in Arlington today. The plan is a cluster of new office and retail buildings that will accommodate some 13,000 employees. When fully built out, its HQ2 is expected to house upwards of 25,000 employees.

The centerpiece of the proposed campus is something that is being called the Helix, which is a spiraling building with outdoor walkways housing native trees and plants from the Virginia area. The idea is that it will become a place for people to go for walks and hikes "outside."

Here's what that looks like (image from architecture firm NBBJ ):

In addition to a cool spiraling building, it's of course also noteworthy that Amazon (along with many other companies) is continuing to forge ahead with its plans to build and occupy more office space in important urban centers.

Here's a quote from a recent WSJ article talking about the HQ2 announcement:

While numerous tech firms have pledged to allow employees to work from home even after the  coronavirus pandemic  is contained, Amazon,  Facebook  Inc.,  Alphabet  Inc.’s Google and others have continued to expand their urban office footprints. By  investing heavily in big city real estate , they are betting that office space will be an important part of their corporate culture after the pandemic is over.

“We have to think about this as a long-term investment,” said John Schoettler, Amazon’s vice president of global real estate and facilities. “These buildings will begin to deliver in 2025. And so we believe that the world will be a much improved place than it is currently.”

Like most companies, they are naturally questioning to what extent some employees won't be going into the office every weekday. But even still, the above announcement is yet another great example of why office space -- and spiraling outdoor spaces -- will continue to form an important part of the future of work.

A rezoning submission was recently filed with the City of Vancouver for two towers on Alberni Street in the West End. Designed by Heatherwick Studio for Bosa Properties and Kingswood Properties, this will be the design firm's first high-rise project in the country when built.

There are some incredible pieces of architecture in the pipeline in Vancouver and I would now add this one to the list. Below are a few renderings and massing studies taken from Vancouver's Shape Your City website .

It's also worth noting that Vancouver's Shape Your City website allows people to very easily comment on rezoning applications. And as part of that, you are asked to state your overall position on the proposal: Support, Opposed, or Mixed.

This strikes me as a step in the right direction, as I think it's important to reduce the friction associated with participating. Asking people to show up to a community meeting (whether IRL or online) is a level of commitment that is simply too great for most people.

But I don't think it solves the problem that opposition is usually a more powerful motivator than support. And so I'm not yet convinced that we have systems in place which accurately and broadly capture the way that cities and communities are feeling about certain proposed changes.