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Monday, September 10, 2012

A Century of Capitalist Cathedrals Built By the World's Biggest Companies | Wired Business | Wired.com

A Century of Capitalist Cathedrals Built By the World's Biggest Companies | Wired Business | Wired.com
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  1. RAYLOKESeptember 10, 2012 at 11:28 AM

    In many ancient cultures, kings and emperors were worshipped as gods. The power of some of these would-be deities lives on in the temples they built to themselves. Today, rather than pharaohs and Caesars, we have global corporations. Their brands ubiquitous, their treasure unrivaled, the world's most valuable companies command armies of workers, exact fealty from government leaders, and receive regular tribute from consumers in the form of our cash.

    The current reigning monarch, Apple, was recently crowned the most valuable company ever, only to have its title stripped as less reverent scribes realized the company's market capitalization hadn't been adjusted for inflation. Still, the company has all the riches it needs to go forward with its plan to build a new headquarters befitting its stature. Like the would-be gods of old, multinationals erect monuments that convey the scope and scale of their power. The companies represented in this gallery all once held the title of most valuable, and some may yet rise again. Whatever their future triumphs or defeats, their cathedrals to capitalism reflect the culture that built them as much as the Forbidden City or the Pantheon.

    Apple

    A few months before he died, Steve Jobs went before the Cupertino City Council to enshrine his legacy in architecture. Described by the city's mayor as the "mothership," the company's proposed new headquarters indeed looks like it could easily lift off and enter orbit after Apple tires of the demands of paltry Earthlings to make iTunes less bloated. The circular four-story structure will house 12,000 design-obsessed employees and is due to be completed in 2015.

    Image: City of Cupertino


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