Google ditches concrete for flexible structures in new HQ proposal

Google just released a proposal for its new Mountain View headquarters, and it looks like the future.

The company is submitting redevelop plans for four sites to the Mountain View City Council today. Mock-ups of the proposed changes feature “lightweight block-like structures” with translucent canopies that can expand and change depending on the needs of Google’s teams. The company also says the new layout will include bike paths and plenty of opportunities for local restaurants and shops.

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Google brought together architects Bjarke Ingels and Thomas Heatherwick for the project. The new campus is supposed to be ecologically minded. The canopies, as an example, are designed to keep the buildings’ temperature controlled. The video below also indicates that the new plans will accommodate landscaping that creates a more natural environment.

The company had been expected to reveal its plans for its new headquarters in Mountain View this week, according to the New York Times. The article noted that local residents may not be happy about the potential changes. Since its beginning in Mountain View, Google has grown from a small team to an army of over 20,000 people, and some are worried that the company is putting a strain on the city’s resources — like housing.

Here’s a video of what the company has in store: