Apple highlights ongoing Campus 2 'spaceship' progress in new aerial photos

Apple on Monday provided a fresh photo of its Campus 2 construction site in Cupertino, Calif., showing accelerated progress on the main "spaceship" structure's foundation, as well as work on ancillary buildings.

The latest aerial shot was uploaded to the City of Cupertino's website as part of a weekly Campus 2 construction update. As Apple is building next to residential areas, the city posts regular status updates to inform residents about constantly changing traffic conditions.

Currently, Campus 2 neighbors are dealing with daily road closures on main thoroughfares running the perimeter of Apple's construction site, while a large section of Pruneridge Ave. is completely closed to traffic.

As illustrated in exclusive AppleInsider drone footage last month, construction crews worked through tough winter weather to completely cover the foundation that will serve as a base for Apple's main ring-shaped building. That process began months ago with land clearing, excavation and tunneling on grounds once owned by Hewlett-Packard.

Work on a $161 million underground theater is also coming along nicely, though it appears most attention is being paid to the main headquarters building. Apple CEO Tim Cook said in 2013 that he expects to move into the brand new HQ by 2016.

Apple's Campus 2 project was submitted by late cofounder Steve Jobs in 2011, just months before his passing. Jobs, who worked alongside architectural firm Foster+Partners in project planning and design, dreamed of returning a substantial portion of the once concrete-covered lot back to the orchard-filled California landscape of his childhood.