Google Unveils Design For 1 Million Squarefoot London Headquarters (cnn.com)

dryriver quotes a report from CNN: Google has released designs for a new 11-story, 1 million-square-foot headquarters in London near King's Cross railway station, complete with a sprawling, landscaped rooftop garden. The facilities will include a cafe, gym and pool as well as a rooftop track and ground-floor retail spaces, according to the company's application for permission to build. The campus has been designed by an all-star team that includes Thomas Heatherwick, the British designer behind London's 2012 Olympic cauldron, and Danish architect Bjarke Ingels' BIG firm. The two are also collaborating on Google's Mountain View campus in California. The company currently has a smaller headquarters in the area, along with another nearby building. Google had submitted designs for a new headquarters in 2013, but they were later scrapped. If the new application is approved by Camden Council, construction will start next year.

Comments

But why London?

[wjcofkc]

Does anyone have input on this? There must be legal reasons. There are plenty of cities in their country of origin that could use this. I get it that they already have a smaller campus there. But regardless.

Re:But why London?

[wjcofkc]

Decadence. They death of all entities.

Why London?

[Anonymous Coward]

When looking for a job the first thing I consider is where the job is located. If it's located somewhere with high rent and a low standard of living, I immediately discount that job. London is top of the list of places where I wouldn't want to work since I have no desire to live in a small apartment with absurdly high rent. I'd much rather take a lower paid job in a location where I can afford a detached house.

Despite the obvious disadvantages of locating in a high rent area, large companies seem drawn to the most expensive locations. I'm not sure if this is for the prestige or if it's because they believe it attracts more talent, but for me it ends any interest I have in working for that company.

Re:Why London?

[baker_tony]

I spent a decade living in London, was awesome.
Flatshare, then you get a huge house and great mates! I did that for a while. Just make it close to a train or tube stop and life is sweet.
I also got a 1 bed apartment when I got a wife, that was small, but meters from tube station and main shopping road. You spend all your time in the pub, partying, participating in sport teams and travelling at any rate when living in London, so just need a place to crash really.
Back living in NZ now bringing up kids, that's something you wouldn't want to do in London.
But you stick to what you think life might be like in London and feel better about your decisions, that's cool too.

Re:Why London?

[Coisiche]

If you do ever visit Edinburgh I'd recommend refraining from calling it Edinborough because that does tend to irritate the locals. I don't know the international phonetic alphabet, and I don't think slashdot could handle the symbols anyway, but we say it something like ed-in-burr-uh. And sometimes as ehm-bra which is supposed to a mocking impersonation of how a weegie (citizen of Glasgow) would say it.

Pay your fair share of taxes, Google

[Atmchicago]

Sure, it's easy to splurge on these luxuries when you play financial double Irish-Dutch sandwich games. How about putting tax money back into society, like everyone else does?

But what about Brexit?

[SEE]

I was assured that Brexit would mean large companies pulling out of Britain, not building big new facilities there.

Re:WHEN will London begin to suffer over Brexit?

[Jzanu]

Once conservatives propose it. God damn, you are a bad troll. The only demographic that voted leave were pensioners, while every other worker voted remain. Broken down, those that will actually face consequences voted to stay while those deluded with propaganda and fantasy for leave. The EU is the future.