The technology giants are awash with cash, so apart from buying up other companies what can they do with it? The answer is… they can build themselves futuristic headquarters to impress us all. Quirky designs fit the image of such companies and as money is no object, why not create something really special?
Sadly, the late Steve Jobs never saw his Apple dream headquarters realised. Currently being built in Cupertino, California, this immense doughnut shaped structure will encircle an orchard.
The famous architect Frank Gehry already has the new Facebook headquarters on the drawing board. It is to be built in the Menlo marshlands in California.
Google’s Googleplex at Mountain View, Santa Clara County, California is also to be extended. Obviously Google wouldn’t be left out.
Apart from these better-known examples, an architect called Jonathan Ward with the international firm NBBJ, is working with Tencent, Samsung and Amazon on equally important building projects. The objective is to build structures that will endure over centuries rather than decades.
NBBJs new headquarters for the Chinese technology company Tencent is due for completion during 2016. Ward designed it in a skyscraper format, as the land was just too expensive to spread out into a campus style structure. Consisting of two towers with three joining bridges it is designed to be impressive whilst also being practical for the workers. With basketball courts, an airborne running track and numerous other facilities to keep the workers entertained when not at their desks, it is certainly going to be good for morale.
Over the next few years it will be interesting to watch as the technology giants create their unique buildings with no expense having been spared.
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