Google UK HQ
The first, wholly owned and designed Google building outside the US. Google has received planning permission from Camden Council for its proposed King’s Cross project. Construction on the purpose-built 11-storey building, comprising of more than 1 million square feet, of which Google will occupy 650,000 sq ft, will commence in 2018. The building, designed by Heatherwick Studio and Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) will feature a natural theme, with all materials sourced through Google’s healthy materials program.
This new building, combined with the current building at 6 Pancras Square and an additional third building, will create a Google office building with the potential to house 7,000 Google employees. The new building is being developed from the ground up and will contribute to the Knowledge Quarter and King’s Cross’s growing knowledge-based economy. Google’s new London headquarters building/King’s Cross Campus development KGX1 site sits between King’s Cross Station and the King’s Boulevard in London N1. The purpose-built 11-storey building comprises more than 1m square feet of space.The building, designed by Heatherwick Studio and Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) will feature a natural theme where all materials are sourced through Google’s healthy materials programme. The office floors will accommodate 4,500 employees, a gym and pool, a multi-use games area, an Events Centre and staff training facilities. At roof level, landscaped terraces and a walking ‘Trim Track’ will provide outdoor amenity and recreation space for office workers and their visitors. The Events Centre will be on the first and second floors, and Town Halls, four smaller event spaces on the ground floor.These spaces, along with foyers, pre-function and support spaces, are all connected by stairs and a lift so that they can operate independently, or together to host a single event. The Zone A Building will include two levels of basement. The basement areas, which include disabled car parking (4 bays) for the office functions (no on-site parking is provided for retail use) and loading areas for servicing the office and retail space will be accessed via an existing vehicular access ramp from Goods Way, which connects up to the existing Shared Service Yard, which services King’s Cross Station. HistoryConstruction commenced in 2018.2017 May – Plans submitted for the erection of 7-11 storey building (Zone A Building) for use as offices (Class B1) with ancillary staff facilities including a cafe, gym, pool, Multi-Use Games Area, events centre and landscaped roof garden; retail at ground floor level (Class A1) and two levels of basement incorporating a loading bay, 4 x accessible parking spaces.
Joe Borrett, Director of Real Estate & Construction, said:
“We are excited to be able to bring our London Googlers together in one place, 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.”
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.”“Influenced by these surroundings, we have treated this new building for Google like a piece of infrastructure too, made from a family of interchangeable elements which ensure that the building and its workspace will stay flexible for years to come”.
Bjarke Ingels, Founding Partner at Bjarke Ingels Group, joint architect of Google’s new building, noted:
“Our design for the new Google Place 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.”
Roly Keating, Chair of the Knowledge Quarter said:
“Google has supported the Knowledge Quarter vision from the beginning and it will be a pleasure to welcome them into their new headquarters building at the heart of the neighbourhood. The arrival of thousands of Googlers mixing with scientists, archivists, academics and students will accelerate the incredible breadth of innovation taking place in this unique part of London. We are delighted to see plans taking shape which will strengthen the Knowledge Quarter as a world-class centre for research and creativity.”
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