A look at ‘Platform 37’ – Google’s massive new £1-billion HQ next to King’s Cross
Google has officially unveiled the name of its new King’s Cross headquarters as it prepares to move into the London premises this summer.
Named Platform 37, the company’s new £1-billion head office in London is its first wholly owned and designed building outside of the United States.
The name of the building is a nod to ‘Move 37’, a pivotal play made by DeepMind’s AI system AlphaGo in a 2016 match against Go world champion Lee Sae Dol.
The move was so unconventional that human researchers thought it was a mistake, but it became clear that the move was intentional and essential to the AI winning the game, demonstrating a landmark moment in AI capacity.
This summer, Deepmind and Google teams will begin to move into the hulking new premises adjacent to King’s Cross.
Together with its existing campus at 6 St Pancras Square and an additional third building, the opening of Platform 37 will create a combined King’s Cross campus with the potential to house 7,000 Google employees.
In addition to revealing the name of its new headquarters, Google also announced that Platform 37 would host an AI Exchange, where the public can enter to learn about AI and discuss the technology’s impact on society.
The AI Exchange will comprise part of the building’s ground floor, and those visiting the premises will be able to access free educational programming, interactive exhibitions, and cultural events.
Architecture of Platform 37
The design of the new Platform 37 building is rooted in the local character of the area, creating continuously cascading work environments that connect Googlers across multiple floors.
Designed by Thomas Heatherwick and Bjarke Ingels, the building uses low-carbon construction materials and is energy-efficient, with 13,500 interconnected devices around the office helping to improve energy efficiency in real time.
It features terraced gardens on its roof and an open, spacious ground floor. The ‘hung’ design of the structure creates a flexible interior workspace that can be adapted to the Google team’s needs.
The 11-storey building has solar shading that help it regulate its temperature by reducing glare from the sun, and all kitchens and on-site equipment are fully electric.
The total floor space of Platform 37 comprises 80,000m2, 60,000m2 of which will be occupied by Google.
Platform 37 – Photos
