Bijzondere werkplekken: Google hoofdkantoor London

Het hoofdkantoor van Google in London moest een hub van 160.000 m² worden met een zeer modern design en een eigenzinnige kijk op het traditionele kantoor bieden. Het resultaat is een verbluffend variatie van lounge-ruimten en 1.250 niet-traditionele werkplekken. Het beschikt over een geheime tuin, verschillende interieurs die elk een olijke naam hebben gekregen.

Een ruimte met de naam Granny’s Flat is ingericht met gebloemde stoelen en hulpstukken die niet zou misstaan in de lounge van een ouder familielid.

Google headquarters, Central Saint Giles, Covent Garden, London, Britain – 06 Aug 2012…Must credit PENSON/Rex Features
Mandatory Credit: Photo by PENSON / Rex Features (1811356e)
Seating area
A Peek Inside Google’s London Headquarters
It features a secret garden, ‘Granny flat’ interiors and an allotment – welcome to Google’s new London headquarters.
The 160,000 sq ft hub features cutting-edge design that offers a quirky take on the traditional office.
Occupying half of the ultra-modern Central Saint Giles development in Covent Garden over five floors, renowned interior designers PENSON were given the task of creating a vibrant workspace.
The result is amazing variation of work and lounging space which finds room for 1,250 non-traditional desks.
A space called Granny’s Flat is furnished with chintzy chairs and fittings that wouldn’t look out of place in an elderly relative’s lounge, while the Lala Library hosts a giant semi-circle white sofa adorned with pillows and surrounded by arty and inspirational books.
Surreal workspaces have tongue-in-cheek names such as the Velourmptious snug, a green, padded homage to the traditional British pub, and Snug-lushness, a garish flower-print padded bench seat.
An area dubbed the Town Hall allows seating for 200 people and features velvet curtains, exposed ceilings and a video wall, while the Market Square is a rustic cafeteria area.
For active staff members there is a gym and dance studio, a ‘bikedry’ for cycling gear storage and a shower block for those sweaty from the morning workout, cycle or commute.
For those really wanting to escape the office, a ‘Hedge Your Bets’ secret garden on the roof terrace affords stunning views of London surrounded by grass and foliage – all with wi-fi connection for laptop work.
Eco considerations are at the forefront of design with a high content of reclaimed or recycled materials employed and the use of water-based products and timber floor boards with Eco plywo

De ‘Lala Bibliotheek’ biedt gasten een gigantische witte sofa, versierd met kussens, en artistieke en inspirerende boeken.

Google headquarters, Central Saint Giles, Covent Garden, London, Britain – 06 Aug 2012…Must credit PENSON/Rex Features
Mandatory Credit: Photo by PENSON / Rex Features (1811356d)
Seating area
A Peek Inside Google’s London Headquarters
It features a secret garden, ‘Granny flat’ interiors and an allotment – welcome to Google’s new London headquarters.
The 160,000 sq ft hub features cutting-edge design that offers a quirky take on the traditional office.
Occupying half of the ultra-modern Central Saint Giles development in Covent Garden over five floors, renowned interior designers PENSON were given the task of creating a vibrant workspace.
The result is amazing variation of work and lounging space which finds room for 1,250 non-traditional desks.
A space called Granny’s Flat is furnished with chintzy chairs and fittings that wouldn’t look out of place in an elderly relative’s lounge, while the Lala Library hosts a giant semi-circle white sofa adorned with pillows and surrounded by arty and inspirational books.
Surreal workspaces have tongue-in-cheek names such as the Velourmptious snug, a green, padded homage to the traditional British pub, and Snug-lushness, a garish flower-print padded bench seat.
An area dubbed the Town Hall allows seating for 200 people and features velvet curtains, exposed ceilings and a video wall, while the Market Square is a rustic cafeteria area.
For active staff members there is a gym and dance studio, a ‘bikedry’ for cycling gear storage and a shower block for those sweaty from the morning workout, cycle or commute.
For those really wanting to escape the office, a ‘Hedge Your Bets’ secret garden on the roof terrace affords stunning views of London surrounded by grass and foliage – all with wi-fi connection for laptop work.
Eco considerations are at the forefront of design with a high content of reclaimed or recycled materials employed and the use of water-based products and timber floor boards with Eco plywo

Surrealistische werkruimten hebben ironische namen zoals de Velourmptious, een volledig groene eerbetoon aan de traditionele knusse Britse pub, met een opzichtige bloemen-print gewatteerde bank.

Google headquarters, Central Saint Giles, Covent Garden, London, Britain – 06 Aug 2012…Must credit PENSON/Rex Features
Mandatory Credit: Photo by PENSON / Rex Features (1811356h)
Seating area
A Peek Inside Google’s London Headquarters
It features a secret garden, ‘Granny flat’ interiors and an allotment – welcome to Google’s new London headquarters.
The 160,000 sq ft hub features cutting-edge design that offers a quirky take on the traditional office.
Occupying half of the ultra-modern Central Saint Giles development in Covent Garden over five floors, renowned interior designers PENSON were given the task of creating a vibrant workspace.
The result is amazing variation of work and lounging space which finds room for 1,250 non-traditional desks.
A space called Granny’s Flat is furnished with chintzy chairs and fittings that wouldn’t look out of place in an elderly relative’s lounge, while the Lala Library hosts a giant semi-circle white sofa adorned with pillows and surrounded by arty and inspirational books.
Surreal workspaces have tongue-in-cheek names such as the Velourmptious snug, a green, padded homage to the traditional British pub, and Snug-lushness, a garish flower-print padded bench seat.
An area dubbed the Town Hall allows seating for 200 people and features velvet curtains, exposed ceilings and a video wall, while the Market Square is a rustic cafeteria area.
For active staff members there is a gym and dance studio, a ‘bikedry’ for cycling gear storage and a shower block for those sweaty from the morning workout, cycle or commute.
For those really wanting to escape the office, a ‘Hedge Your Bets’ secret garden on the roof terrace affords stunning views of London surrounded by grass and foliage – all with wi-fi connection for laptop work.
Eco considerations are at the forefront of design with a high content of reclaimed or recycled materials employed and the use of water-based products and timber floor boards with Eco plywo

Een gebied dat het stadhuis (Town Hall) wordt genoemd heeft plaats voor 200 personen en beschikt over fluwelen gordijnen, blootgestelde plafonds en een video muur. De Grote Markt (Market Square) is een rustiek cafetaria gebied.

Google headquarters, Central Saint Giles, Covent Garden, London, Britain – 06 Aug 2012…Must credit PENSON/Rex Features
Mandatory Credit: Photo by PENSON / Rex Features (1811356aa)
A Peek Inside Google’s London Headquarters
It features a secret garden, ‘Granny flat’ interiors and an allotment – welcome to Google’s new London headquarters.
The 160,000 sq ft hub features cutting-edge design that offers a quirky take on the traditional office.
Occupying half of the ultra-modern Central Saint Giles development in Covent Garden over five floors, renowned interior designers PENSON were given the task of creating a vibrant workspace.
The result is amazing variation of work and lounging space which finds room for 1,250 non-traditional desks.
A space called Granny’s Flat is furnished with chintzy chairs and fittings that wouldn’t look out of place in an elderly relative’s lounge, while the Lala Library hosts a giant semi-circle white sofa adorned with pillows and surrounded by arty and inspirational books.
Surreal workspaces have tongue-in-cheek names such as the Velourmptious snug, a green, padded homage to the traditional British pub, and Snug-lushness, a garish flower-print padded bench seat.
An area dubbed the Town Hall allows seating for 200 people and features velvet curtains, exposed ceilings and a video wall, while the Market Square is a rustic cafeteria area.
For active staff members there is a gym and dance studio, a ‘bikedry’ for cycling gear storage and a shower block for those sweaty from the morning workout, cycle or commute.
For those really wanting to escape the office, a ‘Hedge Your Bets’ secret garden on the roof terrace affords stunning views of London surrounded by grass and foliage – all with wi-fi connection for laptop work.
Eco considerations are at the forefront of design with a high content of reclaimed or recycled materials employed and the use of water-based products and timber floor boards with Eco plywood perimete

Voor actieve medewerkers is er een fitnessruimte, een dansstudio, en een ‘bikedry’ voor fietskleding opslag met doucheblok voor na een bezwete ochtendtraining van fietsen of roeien.
Ook de Boardrooms hebben een eigen ontwerp gekregen:

Google headquarters, Central Saint Giles, Covent Garden, London, Britain – 06 Aug 2012…Must credit PENSON/Rex Features
Mandatory Credit: Photo by PENSON / Rex Features (1811356g)
Boardroom
A Peek Inside Google’s London Headquarters
It features a secret garden, ‘Granny flat’ interiors and an allotment – welcome to Google’s new London headquarters.
The 160,000 sq ft hub features cutting-edge design that offers a quirky take on the traditional office.
Occupying half of the ultra-modern Central Saint Giles development in Covent Garden over five floors, renowned interior designers PENSON were given the task of creating a vibrant workspace.
The result is amazing variation of work and lounging space which finds room for 1,250 non-traditional desks.
A space called Granny’s Flat is furnished with chintzy chairs and fittings that wouldn’t look out of place in an elderly relative’s lounge, while the Lala Library hosts a giant semi-circle white sofa adorned with pillows and surrounded by arty and inspirational books.
Surreal workspaces have tongue-in-cheek names such as the Velourmptious snug, a green, padded homage to the traditional British pub, and Snug-lushness, a garish flower-print padded bench seat.
An area dubbed the Town Hall allows seating for 200 people and features velvet curtains, exposed ceilings and a video wall, while the Market Square is a rustic cafeteria area.
For active staff members there is a gym and dance studio, a ‘bikedry’ for cycling gear storage and a shower block for those sweaty from the morning workout, cycle or commute.
For those really wanting to escape the office, a ‘Hedge Your Bets’ secret garden on the roof terrace affords stunning views of London surrounded by grass and foliage – all with wi-fi connection for laptop work.
Eco considerations are at the forefront of design with a high content of reclaimed or recycled materials employed and the use of water-based products and timber floor boards with Eco plywood

Voor degenen die echt het kantoor willen ontsnappen is er de geheime tuin ‘Hedge Your Bets’ dat op het dakterras een prachtig uitzicht op Londen biedt, omgeven door gras en gebladerte – allemaal met Wi-Fi-verbinding voor laptop werk.

Google headquarters, Central Saint Giles, Covent Garden, London, Britain – 06 Aug 2012…Must credit PENSON/Rex Features
Mandatory Credit: Photo by PENSON / Rex Features (1811356z)
A Peek Inside Google’s London Headquarters
It features a secret garden, ‘Granny flat’ interiors and an allotment – welcome to Google’s new London headquarters.
The 160,000 sq ft hub features cutting-edge design that offers a quirky take on the traditional office.
Occupying half of the ultra-modern Central Saint Giles development in Covent Garden over five floors, renowned interior designers PENSON were given the task of creating a vibrant workspace.
The result is amazing variation of work and lounging space which finds room for 1,250 non-traditional desks.
A space called Granny’s Flat is furnished with chintzy chairs and fittings that wouldn’t look out of place in an elderly relative’s lounge, while the Lala Library hosts a giant semi-circle white sofa adorned with pillows and surrounded by arty and inspirational books.
Surreal workspaces have tongue-in-cheek names such as the Velourmptious snug, a green, padded homage to the traditional British pub, and Snug-lushness, a garish flower-print padded bench seat.
An area dubbed the Town Hall allows seating for 200 people and features velvet curtains, exposed ceilings and a video wall, while the Market Square is a rustic cafeteria area.
For active staff members there is a gym and dance studio, a ‘bikedry’ for cycling gear storage and a shower block for those sweaty from the morning workout, cycle or commute.
For those really wanting to escape the office, a ‘Hedge Your Bets’ secret garden on the roof terrace affords stunning views of London surrounded by grass and foliage – all with wi-fi connection for laptop work.
Eco considerations are at the forefront of design with a high content of reclaimed or recycled materials employed and the use of water-based products and timber floor boards with Eco plywood perimeter

Vanzelfsprekend zijn eco-overwegingen belangrijk in het ontwerp met een hoog gehalte aan gebruikte of gerecycleerde materialen en zijn er alleen op water-gebaseerde producten gebruikt.

Google headquarters, Central Saint Giles, Covent Garden, London, Britain – 06 Aug 2012…Must credit PENSON/Rex Features
Mandatory Credit: Photo by PENSON / Rex Features (1811356s)
Jet fighter ejector seat
A Peek Inside Google’s London Headquarters
It features a secret garden, ‘Granny flat’ interiors and an allotment – welcome to Google’s new London headquarters.
The 160,000 sq ft hub features cutting-edge design that offers a quirky take on the traditional office.
Occupying half of the ultra-modern Central Saint Giles development in Covent Garden over five floors, renowned interior designers PENSON were given the task of creating a vibrant workspace.
The result is amazing variation of work and lounging space which finds room for 1,250 non-traditional desks.
A space called Granny’s Flat is furnished with chintzy chairs and fittings that wouldn’t look out of place in an elderly relative’s lounge, while the Lala Library hosts a giant semi-circle white sofa adorned with pillows and surrounded by arty and inspirational books.
Surreal workspaces have tongue-in-cheek names such as the Velourmptious snug, a green, padded homage to the traditional British pub, and Snug-lushness, a garish flower-print padded bench seat.
An area dubbed the Town Hall allows seating for 200 people and features velvet curtains, exposed ceilings and a video wall, while the Market Square is a rustic cafeteria area.
For active staff members there is a gym and dance studio, a ‘bikedry’ for cycling gear storage and a shower block for those sweaty from the morning workout, cycle or commute.
For those really wanting to escape the office, a ‘Hedge Your Bets’ secret garden on the roof terrace affords stunning views of London surrounded by grass and foliage – all with wi-fi connection for laptop work.
Eco considerations are at the forefront of design with a high content of reclaimed or recycled materials employed and the use of water-based products and timber floor boards wi

Bron: The Telegraph. Foto’s: PENSON / Rex Features

Transparantie is overal, behalve als het gaat om werkplekken. Omdat mensen veel tijd doorbrengen op het werk is het belangrijk een mooie werkplek te vinden. En dan wil je ook de werkervaring proeven. Helaas leveren corporate websites en recruitmentsites deze informatie niet. Daarom vind je op dit blog een serie bijzondere werkplekken in Nederland en daarbuiten. Laat je inspireren door deze serie! Suggesties en bijdragen zijn altijd welkom.

Jacco Valkenburg

Jacco Valkenburg is een recruitmentarchitect en één van Nederlands bekendste auteur en trainer op dit gebied. Met 25 jaar ervaring in werving, heeft hij een scherp inzicht in de industrie verworven. Hij schreef 7 vakboeken waaronder ‘Recruitment 4.0‘ in 2023. Hij is ook een fervent gebruiker van AI en ChatGPT.

Jacco Valkenburg has 603 posts and counting. See all posts by Jacco Valkenburg

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