Technology giant Google has announced the opening of its 42-acre Bay View campus in Silicon Valley, designed by Danish Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and London-based Heatherwick Studio.

The building is the first major construction project that Google has undertaken by itself.

 

The 1.1m sq.foot development contains 20 acres of open space, two office buildings, a 1,000-capacity event centre and 240 short-term residential units.

Work spaces are split into two levels, the upper dedicated to collaboration, with flexible “neighbourhood” floorplates, and the lower for solo working.

The project has used biophilic design principles, such as clerestory windows with automated shades that open and close over the course of the day and a ventilation system that uses only outside air.

As a result of Bay View’s ‘dragonscale’ solar panel roof and nearby wind farms, Google explained that the building will be powered by carbon-free energy 90% of the time. Its solar roofing will generate around 40 per cent of its energy needs.

The tech giant aims to operate the campus every hour of every day on carbon-free energy by 2030.

The site also aims to be net water-positive with all non-potable water demands being met using recycled water, aiming to replenish 120% of the amount consumed by 2030.

Leon Rost, a partner in BIG, said: “Google Bay View offers a workplace experience that is an antithesis to an urban high-rise. Containing as much area as the tallest office tower in San Francisco, the floorplates are redistributed into a flat array, creating a vibrant village.

“While on-site carbon and water neutrality is challenging for skyscrapers, this bay-scraper typology enables us to harvest the power of the sun, earth and water.

“We hope Bay View will provide a quantum leap in the evolution of the workplace, elevate the benchmark for sustainable design, and inspire the next generations of users and visitors to the building.”

BIG and Heatherwick Studio are two of the world’s most in demand architecture studios. They are also collaborating to build Google’s London campus at King’s Cross, which is set to feature a rooftop garden, running track and swimming pool.

Main image: The Bay View campus consists of three buildings (Credit: Google)

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