Apple’s unique “Spaceship” campus has garnered a ton of media attention although it’s not the only massive new headquarters in the works under the sunny skies of California.
Google on Friday revealed its vision for a new North Bayshore campus in Mountain View. The ambitious design is highlighted by translucent, biosphere-like canopies constructed of an ultra-light membrane that’ll control the climate inside while letting in light and air. Think of it as a giant greenhouse.
Another unique aspect of the campus would be the ability to easily reconfigure its inner workspaces on a massive scale based on the ever-changing needs of the company.
Of course, not everyone is thrilled about the idea of a massive Googleplex. Former City Councilwoman Margaret Abe-Koga said it’s important to keep diversity in their communities and that includes companies. Google’s plans alone will take up much of the land the city sets aside as office space.
Up to this point, most tech companies in Silicon Valley have purchased existing office buildings to meet their needs. But now, we’re seeing companies like Apple, Google, Samsung and Nvidia all designing and building facilities that best reflect their philosophies.
Apple’s new campus, for example, will more or less be an enclosed space for its employees that’s representative of its secretive nature. Google’s proposal, on the other hand, is extremely open and inviting even to outsiders.
The facility was designed by architects Thomas Heatherwick and Bjarke Ingels.
