The building of the new headquarters of Google against the backdrop of the Californian sky. Render: Google

After nearly ten years of planning, Google is finally close to starting to build the first building that it designed on its own. The concept of the new headquarters in Mountain View was officially approved at a meeting of the city council on March 7, 2017.

Google's project is useless to compare with the projects of the headquarters of Apple or Facebook , which also look futuristic. All this - unique examples of modern architecture, made in different styles.

The Google Campus is spread out over the North Bayshore in Mountain View ( the development plan for the area until 2030 ).
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Google will receive a plot of 7.3 hectares in the east of Charleston Street. Accordingly, the site and the whole project were named Charleston East.

The project was first presented to the city council in May 2015. Google emphasized that the new look of headquarters and campus are primarily designed to reflect the culture of innovation in the company and the Mountain View community. The reflection of these values ​​led to the creation of an unusual project of a central building with glass walls, surrounded by walking paths and covered with a roof with the largest installation of solar panels. The architects have tried to make sure that all citizens, not just Google employees, enjoyed the view of the building. They designed the so-called “green route” around the building, where cafes, art installations and other attractions, entertainment and attractions will be located.

The authors of the project believe that city residents will specially come to the headquarters of Google to walk around and have a good time. Moreover, they believe that this place is worthy of becoming a center of attraction, attracting tourists. This building will become a landmark of the whole city, not only a source of Google pride.

The two-level headquarters building with a base area of ​​55,300 m² will accommodate up to 2,700 company employees, as well as an unknown number of attendants. It is not reported which units will move here from the current headquarters.

In the local press they write that the discussion of the new Google project by citizens turned into a “festival of expression of love”. There was not a single critical remark, even no one objected to cutting down 200 trees, some of which blocked the planned cycle path. Google promised to plant more than 300 new trees: oaks, plane trees and poplars of local species. The plan caused universal support even though Google will pay relatively small funds to the city budget: this is a simultaneous payment of $ 600 thousand and an annual payment of $ 2.25 million for renting the existing parking Shoreline Amphitheater for Google employees (in future the company will build its own parking).

The Charleston East project is the first step to turning the North Bayshore area into its new global headquarters, Google. The company two years ago showed plans for the buildings that it proposes to build here. To the surprise of many, the city council then rejected Google’s plans and donated land to LinkedIn, but Google made a big land exchange deal with LinkedIn, and returned to the plan. Moreover, at the moment almost all the land to the north of highway 101 is assigned to Google.

Now the city authorities are finishing drawing up a detailed development plan for the new district until 2030. It provides residential development area. Officials work in constant contact with Google. The latter informed the authorities that she was interested in resettling 10,000 people here.

The city council made minimal changes to the newly approved project Charleston East. For example, the authorities wanted to ensure that food and entertainment around an office building in the green zone would be available not only to employees, but also to all other citizens. The city council has repeatedly stressed that this will be a public territory and a public place. The authorities also obliged Google to warn all residents and business owners in nearby areas about the inconvenience associated with the construction.

Well, the vote for Charleston East ended predictably 6-0 without a single vote against.

Future construction site

Roof structure with solar panels

Renders of the building and surrounding area

(some renders compare different roofing options)









































A more detailed architectural project of Google is set forth in the official application (pdf, 67 pages).

The first preparations for the construction and cutting down of trees began immediately after obtaining permission. Google is going to go to work on soil profiling and earthworks very quickly. Depending on the weather, the delivery of the object may take place at the end of 2019.