You only need to take a quick glance around one of its retail stores to know that Apple's got a keen eye for real estate. But its latest move is stunning even by its own high standards - Apple is to make the iconic Battersea Power Station its new UK home.
Over 1,400 members of staff will occupy all six floors of office space in the redeveloped building, according to the Evening Standard. Though it's had Grade II listed status for some time, the site has been subject to a painfully-slow restoration project, having been derelict for close to 33 years.
The move won't happen overnight, however. Pulling in employees from eight sites around London, the new campus won't be occupied until 2021.
iConic real estate
Sitting on the bank of London's river Thames, Apple has called the move a "great opportunity to have our entire team working and collaborating in one location while supporting the renovation of a neighbourhood rich with history."
Apple won't be the sole occupier, despite taking on a mammoth 500,000 sq ft of space. A huge 42-acre site, homes will sit alongside retail and leisure businesses as Apple's new neighbours. Apple's European HQ will however remain in Cork, Ireland, where it houses 4,000 employees.
Battersea Power Station has a unique history: a striking building designed in the art deco style by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, it provided power to London from 1933 to 1983. Once decommissioned, it's been the background to many events, including Pink Floyd's infamous 1977 Animals album cover art.
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