Amazon’s ambitious urban campus continues to garner attention and make headlines. GeekWire’s own GW calendar logoMonica Guzman makes a compelling case for planting businesses in the heart of downtown. But what are the real advantages of an urban versus suburban office — and how much do surroundings affect the businesses themselves?

The Urban Land Institute is giving attendees a chance to have those questions answered at its City as Campus interactive event Tuesday, June 10. The afternoon will begin with small group tours of Zillow’s downtown headquarters, followed by a panel of experts from Amazon, the City of Seattle, and more. Panelists will discuss the relationship between urban offices and their surroundings, delving into real estate trends, work habits, and the development of the Seattle tech community as a whole. Tickets are available for $35.

That’s one of the upcoming events we’ve hand-picked from the GeekWire Calendar, our curated list of the best tech industry and community events in the Pacific Northwest. Keep reading for more of this week’s selections, and check out the calendar for more.

Northwest Pinball & Arcade Show2014_poster_thumb

Pinball wizards of the Pacific Northwest will be gathering this weekend to participate in the sophomore year of this event. The show will be held at Tacoma Convention Center and 400 free play pinball machines will be available to attendees. Prizes will be awarded to the best competitors and personalities from the pinball and gaming world will deliver guest presentations. Tickets for this event can be purchased for $25 here.

When & Where: June 6th-June 8th. Tacoma Convention Center

From Now: Humanity with Technology

FromNow_RGB_ColourThis grassroots conference will offer a platform for attendees and panelists to discuss the relationship between technology, society, and culture. The event, which takes place this Saturday, will host several keynote speakers including journalists, CEOs, and thought leaders in the tech community.  Everything from wearable technology to crypto currencies to the internet of things will be fair game at this not-for-profit colloquium. Attendees are encouraged to discuss “the impact today and the future of where our tech-led world is taking us.” Register here for day passes.

When & Where: June 7th, 8:30am-6:30pm. MAKE

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Next Thursday, TechCrunch is bringing its meetup/pitch-off event to Seattle. Tech enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, and innovators are encouraged to join the TechCrunch team for a free beer and networking opportunities. The event will include a pitch-off — a competition where chosen applicants propose their startups in 60 seconds or fewer to a TechCrunch panel. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased here.

When & Where: June 12th, 6:00pm-10:00pm. Neumos

DgCFFWcemyMQJ9_vrwFmHRP3Library Town Hall: Supporting Startups and Investing in the Community

The Seattle Public Library is also holding an event for the tech community the night of the twelfth. This town hall style meeting will explore ideas for improving the library’s use of technology and research. The meeting will feature a presentation from Moz co-founder Rand Fishkin followed by a panel discussion. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP here.

When & Where: June 12th, 5:30pm-7:30pm. Seattle Public Library

And don’t forget to stop by GeekWire’s Meetup and Trivia night Friday June 26th!

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