Exclusive look at Apple's full-size prototype building 'slice' of Campus 2

Apple's massive campus expansion in Cupertino, Calif., has been in active prototype development over the past year, with a full-scale "slice" of the building revealed in new terrestrial and aerial shots captured by an amateur photographer.

Campus 2 Prototype from a bird's eye view

Last summer, Apple initiated construction of a box like concrete structure with an open front and large openings in the rear wall nearby the actual Campus 2 project. As can be seen in the more recent video below, captured by a DJI Phantom 2 Vision+ drone, the prototype building gives an idea of what the final product will look like.

From the air, it's its clear that the box structure (in the lower left of the shot below) is wider on the front edge, a prototype wedge of the circular ring building will make up the "spaceship" building presented in the aerial shots published yesterday by AppleInsider.

Currently, the box is finished with slanted eves and faced with a wide expanse of glass. The prototype structure appears to be testing the innovative ventilation system previously revealed in planning documents.

The active venting is designed to circulate outside air to take advantage of the temperate Bay Area, California climate in order to reduce the costs and environmental impact of conventional air conditioning. Apple stated that the main Campus 2 building will go without air conditioning or heating for 75 percent of the year thanks to its natural ventilation.

The building is a full scale prototype of the small scale model Apple's late co-founder Steve Jobs was pictured inspecting during the design phase of the Campus 2 project (below).

Looking back

To show the progress made, here's what the prototype building looked like when construction began on the project last summer.

At the time, the empty box was then fitted with ceiling panels and interior partitions were framed out using aluminum studs.

Innovative construction for sustainable, impressive architecture

Apple's innovative approach to designing and building structures that are both environmentally sustainable and aesthetically pleasing isn't unique to the Campus 2 construction project.

AppleInsider has previously detailed the company's efforts to build a massive iCloud data centers in Maiden, NC; Prineville, OR and Reno, NV, that make use of efficient evaporative water coolers powered by sustainable solar, hydroelectric and biogas energy sources.

At the same time, the company's retail stores— while also built to be environmentally sustainable and powered by clean energy— use innovative construction techniques to create futuristic landmarks and rehabilitate historic structures, often featuring cutting edge engineering in glass, including glass elevators, staircases, elevated walkways, dramatic entrances and expansive glass windows and skylights.