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."
It would be nice if they could work on making their city affordable first. I turned down 2 fantastic job opportunities in San Francisco because I didn't want to live in a one bedroom shoe box on a six figure salary.
It would be nice if they could work on making their city affordable first. I turned down 2 fantastic job opportunities in San Francisco because I didn't want to live in a one bedroom shoe box on a six figure salary.
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