February 13, 2015 at 18:55A look into the future: What will the headquarters of large IT companies look like?
The giants of the IT industry not only create our life on the Internet, but also try to influence our life in the real world. Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook are building new headquarters for their companies, which in design and infrastructure are more likely to resemble small cities from science fiction magazines of the twentieth century.
The main goal of creating such futuristic campuses is to demonstrate to the world an idea of the ideal space and innovations that can be used in future cities. Now we will briefly consider what each of the future projects is and what contribution it will be able to make to further technological progress.
The history of the main headquarters of Google Corporation, located in Mountain View, dates back to 1998. Then it was a small office with 50 employees located in Silicon Valley. Now Googleplex includes 2 million square meters. m. of office space, and this year it is planned to build another 1 million square meters. m. area. The entire range of Googleplex buildings is designed for maximum comfort for both employees and guests. Recreation centers, swimming pools, fitness centers, cafes and much more can be found in this place.
Until this moment, the company was not engaged in its own construction, but only rented buildings. Thus, the current complex includes five rented buildings originally built for Silicon Graphics.
The new project, the construction of which will be carried out by the same NBBJ, will primarily be aimed at creating an effective workflow and its own infrastructure. 42 transitions will be made in the building for quick interaction of employees. A private airport and a bridge connecting it to Google headquarters will also be built.
Shortly before his death, Steve Jobs agreed to build a new Apple Campus 2 headquarters. Steve's main phrase in a call to future project designer Norman Foster was: “Don't think of me as a client, consider me a member of your team.” Jobs wanted the future campus to be in line with the company's ideology - embodying functionality and having a perfect shape. The design of the project was developed by Norman Foster, and the completion of construction is scheduled for 2016.
After showing the presentation video, the new campus in the press was dubbed the name “Spaceship”. Indeed, the new headquarters area of 260 thousand square meters. m. made in the shape of a curved glass building, which forms a kind of security ring looks fantastic. Apple Campus 2 is a closed system whose purpose is to create ideal conditions for employees, so that they do not leave the campus.
The construction will work on the principle of a smart home. Due to solar and wind energy, the campus will be fully provided with renewable energy. The building will use its own ventilation and heating.
Among Seattle's stamped high-rise buildings, trimmed with iron and glass, it's so nice to look at something that extends beyond global architectural thought. That is the creation of Amazon's new headquarters, the construction of which began in January 2014. The complex will include three office buildings, as well as an ecocenter - a 25-meter building, consisting of three transparent glass spheres.
The project designer is the famous architectural bureau NBBJ. The eco-center will be equipped with work offices, retail outlets, conference rooms, recreation places, but the main asset, undoubtedly, will be an atrium of rare plants and trees from around the world, creating the most comfortable microclimate for humans. Thus, the future headquarters of Amazon will be not only a place for 2 thousand employees of the company, but also a public place where everyone can have a good time. The completion of the project is scheduled for the end of 2016.
According to the creator of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg, innovation is born in the process of interaction of a large number of people. To implement this idea, Facebook commissioned the famous architect Frank Gehry to build a new headquarters. The building will be an ideal factory of ideas: no walls and windows, cabinets for top management and other infrastructure. In a modest space without borders there will be many places for the spontaneous crossing of employees, and, consequently, the birth of new solutions. Five buildings of the complex are interconnected by landscaping with roofs for walks. The new campus at first glance is a rather modest work of the great architect, but, according to Zuckerberg, is fully consistent with the spirit of the company.
Of course, companies spend billions of dollars on such projects. “Why,” you ask? After all, this money could be invested in the invention of more new and even more high-tech equipment. But, as we wrote above, the main goal of any large company is to demonstrate its perfection to the world, and such projects serve as good advertising. However, it cannot be said that this is just a show-off or a struggle for primacy. Indeed, recently the main goal of many IT giants has become the massive use of renewable energy and environmental technologies, which in the future can play a good service to humanity.
The main goal of creating such futuristic campuses is to demonstrate to the world an idea of the ideal space and innovations that can be used in future cities. Now we will briefly consider what each of the future projects is and what contribution it will be able to make to further technological progress.
Google and developed infrastructure
The history of the main headquarters of Google Corporation, located in Mountain View, dates back to 1998. Then it was a small office with 50 employees located in Silicon Valley. Now Googleplex includes 2 million square meters. m. of office space, and this year it is planned to build another 1 million square meters. m. area. The entire range of Googleplex buildings is designed for maximum comfort for both employees and guests. Recreation centers, swimming pools, fitness centers, cafes and much more can be found in this place.
Until this moment, the company was not engaged in its own construction, but only rented buildings. Thus, the current complex includes five rented buildings originally built for Silicon Graphics.
The new project, the construction of which will be carried out by the same NBBJ, will primarily be aimed at creating an effective workflow and its own infrastructure. 42 transitions will be made in the building for quick interaction of employees. A private airport and a bridge connecting it to Google headquarters will also be built.
Apple Closed Campus
Shortly before his death, Steve Jobs agreed to build a new Apple Campus 2 headquarters. Steve's main phrase in a call to future project designer Norman Foster was: “Don't think of me as a client, consider me a member of your team.” Jobs wanted the future campus to be in line with the company's ideology - embodying functionality and having a perfect shape. The design of the project was developed by Norman Foster, and the completion of construction is scheduled for 2016.
After showing the presentation video, the new campus in the press was dubbed the name “Spaceship”. Indeed, the new headquarters area of 260 thousand square meters. m. made in the shape of a curved glass building, which forms a kind of security ring looks fantastic. Apple Campus 2 is a closed system whose purpose is to create ideal conditions for employees, so that they do not leave the campus.
The construction will work on the principle of a smart home. Due to solar and wind energy, the campus will be fully provided with renewable energy. The building will use its own ventilation and heating.
Amazon Ecological Space
Among Seattle's stamped high-rise buildings, trimmed with iron and glass, it's so nice to look at something that extends beyond global architectural thought. That is the creation of Amazon's new headquarters, the construction of which began in January 2014. The complex will include three office buildings, as well as an ecocenter - a 25-meter building, consisting of three transparent glass spheres.
The project designer is the famous architectural bureau NBBJ. The eco-center will be equipped with work offices, retail outlets, conference rooms, recreation places, but the main asset, undoubtedly, will be an atrium of rare plants and trees from around the world, creating the most comfortable microclimate for humans. Thus, the future headquarters of Amazon will be not only a place for 2 thousand employees of the company, but also a public place where everyone can have a good time. The completion of the project is scheduled for the end of 2016.
Facebook and creativity
According to the creator of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg, innovation is born in the process of interaction of a large number of people. To implement this idea, Facebook commissioned the famous architect Frank Gehry to build a new headquarters. The building will be an ideal factory of ideas: no walls and windows, cabinets for top management and other infrastructure. In a modest space without borders there will be many places for the spontaneous crossing of employees, and, consequently, the birth of new solutions. Five buildings of the complex are interconnected by landscaping with roofs for walks. The new campus at first glance is a rather modest work of the great architect, but, according to Zuckerberg, is fully consistent with the spirit of the company.
Is the game worth the candle?
Of course, companies spend billions of dollars on such projects. “Why,” you ask? After all, this money could be invested in the invention of more new and even more high-tech equipment. But, as we wrote above, the main goal of any large company is to demonstrate its perfection to the world, and such projects serve as good advertising. However, it cannot be said that this is just a show-off or a struggle for primacy. Indeed, recently the main goal of many IT giants has become the massive use of renewable energy and environmental technologies, which in the future can play a good service to humanity.