In 2012, Thomas Heatherwick found himself having dinner with Google co-founder Larry Page. But the dinner almost didn’t happen and the chance was almost gone.
“I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t, we didn’t, really get back to them originally,” Heatherwick told CNBC at an exclusive tech event in rural England last week.
Heatherwick was in doubt and was hesitating because of the fact that some of the other technology firms were “making private worlds for themselves behind fences” and that didn’t interest him. “A friend of the studio, who also knew them, spoke to us, and said: ‘No, really, you need to speak to them.’”
But they did go through and ultimately the plan was pitched by Thomas. He wanted to create something different and not just some common building that faintly resembled a headquarter or an office.
Heatherwick said to Google he would be interested in the offer if the development contributed to the whole of Mountain View rather than creating a “smug, separate bubble for exclusive, elite workers.”
Now Google really liked the sound of it and that got him board, he successfully created and designed 4 huge hangars for Google in Mountain View. The project was a huge success and it was liked by everyone.
Now he is mainly focused on designing Google’s new headquarters in London. It goes without saying that it is a heavy job. On being asked what he had planned on about this building he did reply with very much enthusiasm “It will be the biggest use of wood in any facades in London,” he added. “So the building will age and have a texture.”
