Construction Update: Google Charleston East and Bay View Campus
Charleston East Campus
Construction is nearing completion at Google’s Charleston East campus expansion next to the original Googleplex campus in Sunnyvale, California. Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and Thomas Heatherwick, the 645,000 square foot campus features a hangar like canopy that allows for flexibility in locating walls and floor below. According to BIG, their strategy for the building was to “create a replicable and scalable building typology that is also adaptable and inclusive” to Google’s other potential expansion sites nearby.
Close-up of the roof with stainless steel edge profile and pv shingle installation underway.
Smile-shaped clerestories of bird-safe glass bring direct, indirect, and diffused natural light into the building.
Bay View Campus
Along with the Charleston East Campus, BIG and Heatherwick have designed three similar structures at the Bay View Campus on the grounds of the NASA Ames Research Center. Like Charleston East, these structures feature the canopy structure clad in pv shingles and clerestory glass.
Close-up of the roof clad with PV shingles.
Architects: Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) with Thomas Heatherwick; Client: Alphabet; Program: Office; Location: Sunnyvale, Santa Clara County, CA; Completion: 2022.
Tour: Pier 55 - Little Island
Heatherwick Studio’s park, known as Little Island, at Pier 55 in Hudson River Park has officially opened. Located near the Meatpacking District and the High Line, the design of the 2.4 acre park features an undulating field of 132 pots with plantings sitting on 280 concrete piles. At the park’s peak, the pots rise 30 feet into the air and can weigh more than 90 tons. Four to six petals of lightweight concrete combine to form each of the pots. MNLA led the landscape design, which is inspired by the textures and colors of coastal Acadia National Park in Maine. The park offers a 700-seat amphitheater for music, dance, and theater productions, along with numerous pathways and viewing platforms.
Architect: Heatherwick Studio; Landscape Architect: Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architect; Client: Hudson River Park; Program: park; Location: Meatpacking District, New York, NY; Completion: 2021.
Construction Update: 515 W 18
Southeast corner from 10th Avenue.
Construction is wrapping up at the east tower of Related’s two-tower residential development at the High Line in Chelsea. Designed by Thomas Heatherwick’s Heatherwick Studio, the 22-story west tower and 10-story east tower flank the High Line and connect to each other underneath the park’s elevated railroad structure. The facade features custom masonry and Heatherwick’s modern take on the bay window.
Close-up of the east facade of the east tower.
Southeast corner of the east tower (right) and the Eleventh (left).
Southeast corner of the storefront at the west building.
Residential entry underneath the High Line.
Amenities
Residents have access to a collection of amenities that include a residential lobby with High Line columns, a garden by Hollander Design, library lounge, co-working lounge, private dining room and bar, game room, screening lounge, fitness center, 75-foot long saline-system swimming pool, spa, children’s playroom, and rooftop terrace.
Residential lobby.
Fitness center.
Swimming pool with adjacent cold plunge pool, hot tub, and experiential shower.
Library lounge.
Private dining room.
Private bar adjacent to the private dining room.
Game room.
Looking south from a rooftop terrace.
Looking west towards the west tower (right) and The Eleventh (left).
Looking down on the High Line and the residential lobby located underneath.
Looking northeast towards Midtown from a rooftop terrace on the east tower.
Looking north towards Hudson Yards and Midtown from a rooftop terrace on the east tower.
Looking north along the High Line towards Hudson Yards from a rooftop terrace on the east tower.
Looking up at the east facade of the west building.
Model Residence
Lantern House will offer 180 residences across two towers, ranging in size from one-to-four bedrooms with average ceiling heights of ten-foot, nine-inches. March and White Design has overseen the design of the residential interiors. Kitchens feature convex fluted-oak cabinetry, polished Calacatta Venato and Nordic Grey marble slab countertops and backsplash, and a Waterworks faucet. Master baths feature Nestos Beige marble slab flooring/walls with polished marble countertops in Opal White or Emperador Grey, custom vanities with fluted-oak cabinetry with caramel or cocoa stain, undercounted Laufen sink, medicine cabinet with bronze metal and fluted mirror panels, and Waterworks fixtures.
Living room.
Kitchen.
Convex fluted-oak cabinetry with a caramel stain and upper cabinets with back-painted ribbed glass doors.
Close-up of the kitchen cabinets with custom-designed bronze finish hardware.
Master bedroom.
Custom vanity with fluted-oak cabinetry in a caramel stain, polished marble countertop and mirror/medicine cabinet.
Bedroom.
Architect: Heatherwick Studio (Design Architect), SLCE (Architect of Record); Interiors: March and White Design; Landscape: Hollander Design Landscape Architects; Developer: Related Companies; Program: Residential, Retail; Location: Chelsea, New York, NY; Completion: 2021.
Construction Update: Google Charleston East
Construction is underway on Google’s Charleston East campus expansion next to the original Googleplex campus in Sunnyvale, California. Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and Thomas Heatherwick, the 645,000 square foot campus features a hangar like canopy that allows for flexibility in locating walls and floor below. According to BIG, their strategy for the building was to “create a replicable and scalable building typology that is also adaptable and inclusive” to Google’s other potential expansion sites nearby.
At the canopy, smile shaped clerestories allow for sunlight to reach the main work spaces of the second floor’s interconnected floor plate. Secondary program and public spaces occupy the ground floor and connect to the second floor by courtyards.
Architects: Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) with Thomas Heatherwick; Client: Alphabet; Program: Office; Location: Sunnyvale, CA; Completion: 2019.