Google is planning an
ambitious new expansion of its Silicon Valley headquarters, including movable
buildings and structures that trade windows and roofs for translucent
canopies. The tech giant today detailed its plans
to drastically "rethink" its main campus in Mountain View, Calif., where it's
been based for 15 years. It's the first time the company will design and build
its offices from scratch. The master plan is a collaboration between Bjarke
Ingels, a Danish architect with a reputation for wild designs, and
Thomas Heatherwick, a London designer known for even wilder
bridges.
The campus will have "lightweight
block-like structures which can be moved around easily," the company says. In
theory, a section housing a team could be picked up and moved elsewhere on the
campus depending on what other teams it is working with. Translucent canopies
will cover each site, allowing plenty of natural light. The canopies, Google
says, will also liberate the buildings from "traditional architectural
limitations like walls, windows and roofs."
Google, which has more than 50,000
employees, is looking for new ways to attract engineers and retain staff as it
expands its product lineup beyond its core search business. The company recorded
$3.55 billion in capital expenditures in the fourth quarter, partly driven by
investments in real estate. As the company sees it, the new headquarters will
also benefit the local community. The plan includes bike paths and retail
opportunities for local businesses such as restaurants, cafes, and shops under
the canopy. "As we’ve inhabited a variety of
workplaces—including a garage in Menlo Park, a farmhouse in Denmark and an
entire New York city block—we’ve learned something about what makes an office
space great," the company writes. "And we’re excited to put that into practice,
starting here at our home in Mountain View." Here's a quick guide to what Google
plans to build:
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