bjarke ingels and thomas heatherwick revise plans for google's california HQ

bjarke ingels and thomas heatherwick revise plans for google’s california HQ
all images by BIG and heatherwick studio / courtesy of the city of mountain view

revised plans for google’s new campus have surfaced, showing a reworked design for a smaller site. the scheme, which is located in the californian city of mountain view, has been collaboratively designed by bjarke ingels group and heatherwick studio. the original proposal, submitted for planning in may 2015, ran into difficulty after google was refused the land needed to complete the vast 316,000 square meter masterplan.

located at charleston east, the revised scheme includes a large canopy that both regulates the indoor climate, and encloses flexible building components that can be rearranged as needed. ‘our plans for the indoor and outdoor spaces include native habitats and vegetation designed to support local biodiversity and create educational opportunities for the community,’ states the design team.

the scheme includes a large canopy that regulates the indoor climate

the ground level comprises a collection of pavilions with a public ‘green loop’ that cuts through the building, where it will remain open from dawn until dusk. cafés and shops line the artery to create a social and retail destination open to both google employees and the wider public. smaller pathways between the pavilions provide quieter and more intimate spaces for collaboration and private conversation. above these pavilions, a stepped office floor allows employees to remain spatially and visually connected.

the revised plans show a reworked design for a smaller site

nestled between an urban area to the south and natural frontier to the north, the site embeds itself by extending those existing characteristics within the site. the design creates new public and private spaces by adding man-made topographies that define paths and other through-routes. to ensure constant daylight across such a large internal space, a lightweight canopy is held up by a grid of tent poles. meanwhile, vertical curtain walls on all four elevations provide employees with pleasant external views. the reworked project has now been submitted for planning.

flexible building components can be rearranged as needed