The
new office of Google Inc has been likened to a giant playground for
staff and has a half Olympic sized swimming pool, 'wellness and fitness
centre' with a gym and a large indoor sports hall for games of
basketball and football.
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)
Part of the proposed office
Google has unveiled final plans for its luxury £1billion UK super
headquarters with sleep pods, sports pitches and a rooftop 'field' with
200 metre running track to ensure 'wellness' for up to 7,000 staff.
The tech giant's 870,000 sq ft building planned for Kings Cross in
London will be the first office it has designed for itself outside
California.
Described as a 'groundscraper' because the building will be as long
as the Shard is tall - designers say when completed it will be one of
the best places to work in the world.
The new office has been likened to a giant playground for staff and
has a half Olympic sized swimming pool, 'wellness and fitness centre'
with a gym and a large indoor sports hall for games of basketball and
football.
Its breathtaking 300 metre long landscaped roof terrace will have
'fields, gardens and meadows' and a large rooftop cafe providing free
food and drink to allow 'Googlers' to 'escape from work' and 'relax'.
Inside the open plan office there are 'pause areas' surrounded by
plants, trees and 'living walls' of greenery - and sleeping pods if
staff need a nap or stay overnight after a long day.
Google has submitted plans to Camden Council for approval around
two years after boss Larry Page ordered previous extravagant proposals
be ripped up because they were too boring.
Google – which employs 4,000 people in the UK but has plans to
employ up to 3,000 more – has commissioned a new 11-storey building with
a floor space equivalent to more than ten football pitches.
It has already committed to a further two buildings on the King's
Cross Estate, which will eventually house 7,000 workers across three
offices.
Joe Borrett, director of real estate and construction, said: 'We
are excited to be able to bring our London Googlers together in one
campus, with a new purpose-built building that we've developed from the
ground up.
'Our offices and facilities play a key part in shaping the
Google culture, which is one of the reasons we are known for being
amongst the best places to work in the industry'.
It is being designed by Heatherwick Studio and Bjarke Ingels
Group. Bjarke Ingels, Founding Partner at Bjarke Ingels Group, joint
architect of Google's new building, said: 'Our design for the new
Google Campus at King's Cross is rooted in the local character of the
area, taking advantage of the contextually defined building envelope
while creating continuously cascading work environments that will
connect Googlers across multiple floors.
'By opening up the ground floor and activating the roofscape,
the light and airy workspaces are sandwiched between the terraced
gardens on the roof - and market halls, auditoria and shops on the
ground.'
In 2015 Larry Page, who co-founded the American technology giant,
ordered the UK team to go back to the drawing board. Google originally
hoped that the £1billion development would be ready in 2016.
It is known for its unusual offices around the world, which often
feel more like a playground than a work space. The sprawling
Mountainview site boasts an on-site bowling alley, a volleyball court,
yurt-shaped meetings rooms and 'pods' for staff who want to sleep, not
to mention 19 free restaurants and 60 snack kitchens.
Google's offices in London's Victoria - one of two in the capital -
includes a room stocked with musical instruments, like a teenage boy's
fantasy bedroom.
The latest office plans look more like a luxury hotel in places.
Thomas Heatherwick, Founder of Heatherwick Studio, who jointly
designed the new building, said: 'As my home and the home of my studio
for more than 15 years, I have a close relationship with King's Cross.
'The area is a fascinating collision of diverse building types and
spaces and I can't help but love this mix of massive railway stations,
roads, canals and other infrastructure all layered up into the most
connected point in London'. So what will become of Google's existing
quirky chintz-covered, pub-themed 'hubs'?
Before its super-HQ is finished, Google's three main offices are in
central London - two close to Victoria station and the other near
Covent Garden - and has another in London for its artificial
intelligence arm, known as DeepMind.
Its main building is Central St Giles, a typical London tower block
painted bright colours and filled with typical Google quirks. Based
over five floors its strange rooms and spaces include a 'Granny's Flat'
with chintzy furniture and wallpaper as well as padded meeting rooms
with airlock doors, including one decked out like an old London pub.
It has a kooky 'Lala library' with a comfy furniture and a large
library for staff to use to relax and contemplate their work, while for
major meetings there is the Flower Power boardroom.
Outside there is a grand and green roof terrace and a 'Hedge Your
Bets' secret garden - complete with powerful WiFi allowing people to
work from there.
Employees can plant and grow things at the building's allotments but are thrown off if their work is not up to standard.
This competitive edge runs through all Google's work because staff
are encouraged to just take work off others if they believe they can do
it better.
Those working there are served breakfast at their desks and have
kitchens packed with free food and drink, while on a Friday the canteen,
where food is also free, is converted into a free bar.
Describing life there Lee Penson, founder of its PENSON designers
said: 'It's all about human beings and that's it. Think sunken snugs,
comfort, fun, comfy slippers, squishy carpets, cushions, daybeds, nice
fresh food, gardening, vegetables, health, visual stimulation,
relaxation, exercise, fresh air and you'll get what it's all about as a
HQ.'.
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)
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