Here’s a surprising fact: the building is carbon neutral. It uses ground-source heat pumps that circulate water from a 200-metre-deep well. Also, the roof is covered in solar panels and green plants, which absorb rainwater and carbon. But the best bit? The entire building is designed to be 10% more energy-efficient than your average mega-office. So while your office’s AC is leaking money, Google’s is recycling heat from their servers to warm the slide. Efficiency is cool—literally.
And don’t get me started on the cycle parking. There are spaces for 1,500 bikes, plus showers and lockers. It’s like a gym membership, but without the guilt of not going. You can even borrow a bike from the office to explore Kings Cross. Just don’t crash into the whale.
The Food: Indie Hipster Heaven
The cafeteria, called “The Veld” (sounds like an art installation, I know), is designed by a Michelin-starred chef. They serve locally sourced, seasonal food—things like roasted cauliflower with tahini and quail eggs. It’s so good that local non-Googlers try to sneak in. I’ve heard rumours of a secret handshake to get past security. It’s probably just waving your lanyard and saying, “I’m here for the slide.”
Oh, and the food is free. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Yes, dinner. Because Google assumes you’ll stay late, and they’re right. It’s a trap—you eat, you code, you eat again. Before you know it, you’re part of the hive mind. But hey, at least it’s sustainable, free-range hive mind.
Google Head Office London Kings Cross at Janis Clayson blog
