New Delhi: Google is ready with its new London office that will house several hundreds of the company's staff.
Currently, only 800 engineers are moving into the building at 6 Pancras Square in King's Cross. Later this year, another 2,000 members of its staff are expected to move in. Only five floors of the building are finished but Google expects all 11 to be complete by October.
The staff at 6 Pancras Square will work on some of the best-known products by Google, which includes Android and YouTube.
Here are some interesting facts about the building:
- The building is almost 371,000 square feet, which is less than half the size of the UK HQ that was announced by Google in 2013.
- It has black metal beams, which gives an industrial feel and also reflects the nearby King's Cross train station.
- The roof top gives stunning views over London, with sun loungers and gardens for a pleasant outdoor dining experience.
- There is an underground passage that Google staff will take from King's Cross St Pancras station to their new office.
- There is a lounge area to chill on Vitra sofas that can cost up to £17,000 (Rs. 16 lakh approx.) or even take a nap in Metronap "nap pods", which cost £5,500 (Rs. 5 lakh approx.).
- Googlers will find Barista stations across the building where they will be served with free coffee.
- The building has a centrepiece with usual curvy staircase.
- One of the rooms is called Platform 9 ¾, after the train platform that Hogwarts students (of Harry Potter fame) used to board the Hogwarts Express at King's Cross.
- Even the desks in the new office can be raised, which will let Googlers to stand and work if they want to.
- It will have a huge gym with a 90m running track.
