The Smithsonian Channel’s program “How Did They Build That?” features incredible buildings, bridges, lifts, and other structures that have tested the limits of the built environment. This season features an episode on the design, engineering, and construction of the iconic Amazon Spheres—the three intersecting glass-and-steel spherical workspace conservatories comprising part of the Amazon headquarters campus in Seattle.
MKA’s state-of-the-art steel advancements in the design of these unique structures included utilizing intricately shaped steel sections that are modular and repetitive—each of the 60 sides is the same pentagon, allowing for efficient fabrication. The repeating piece, dubbed a “Catalan,” honors the 19th-century mathematician who first defined this shape. In total, 105 Catalans, 620 tons of steel, and 3,045 panes of glass form The Spheres, housing some 40,000 plants from more than 30 countries, treehouse meeting rooms, waterfalls, a paludarium, and a four-story living wall.
The episode will highlight the challenges faced by the team as they pushed the boundaries of what engineering can achieve and includes interviews with retired MKA Senior Principal Jay Taylor and other members of MKA’s Spheres project team.
The episode airs Sunday, August 25, 2024, at 9 p.m. on the Smithsonian Channel and Paramount+.