google

KGX1, the £1bn Google HQ in Londons King’s Cross

Updated plans submitted by Google for its £1 billion “groundscraper” headquarter building in Kings Cross show that it will have 250 metres of shop fronts and a community events space. Lendlease is main contractor of the huge one million sq ft building. — designed by Thomas Heatherwick and Danish architects

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New Website & PIM System to Boost Sales for Sirius Members

New Website & PIM System to Boost Sales for Sirius Members

Sirius, major buying group in the electrical appliance and kitchen retail sectors, is delighted to launch its PIM (Product Information Management) System and brand new website – specially designed to improve the online customer experience with a focus on driving more traffic to group members websites, so consumers support and

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Maximising the Use of Communal Spaces in the Office

In recent years, offices have started to embrace flexible working and different working styles. In an effort to increase productivity and staff satisfaction, a strong emphasis has been placed on communal areas. Whether it’s a breakout area for collaboration or just a chillout area for staff to escape their desks

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Four contractors bid for £600m London Google HQ

Lendlease and Multiplex have entered the race to bid for Google ’s £600m HQ in London, alongside Mace and Sir Robert McAlpine. Bids were submitted last Friday for the mammoth project, ahead of an announcement by the internet giant this week that it was committing to building the scheme. Construction

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BDC 321 : Oct 2024

google

KGX1, the £1bn Google HQ in Londons King’s Cross

Updated plans submitted by Google for its £1 billion “groundscraper” headquarter building in Kings Cross show that it will have 250 metres of shop fronts and a community events space. Lendlease is main contractor of the huge one million sq ft building. — designed by Thomas Heatherwick and Danish architects BIG — is now well advanced ahead of topping out later this year, with completion expected by 2024. However, there has been little detail surrounding what it will look like at ground floor level — until now. New detailed designs submitted this week with Camden council reveal a long parade of retail units “with a mix of established and growing brands” as well as a “market hall” for small businesses and “a community, education and event space that will host a changing programme of events all year round. This will be the first wholly-owned and designed Google building outside of the US and will comprise a staggering one million square feet of space spread out over an 11-story building. To put it into context, Google’s building will be longer than the Shard is tall. As well as office space for up to 4,000 Google employees to work, the area will also feature a pool, games area, gym, landscaped roof garden and a parade of retail space for shops and other businesses to occupy. The new building is being developed from the ground up and will contribute to the Knowledge Quarter and King’s Cross’s growing knowledge-based economy. The tech giant says that, when finished, the area ‘will be a resource not just for Googlers but Londoners, too.’

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New Website & PIM System to Boost Sales for Sirius Members

New Website & PIM System to Boost Sales for Sirius Members

Sirius, major buying group in the electrical appliance and kitchen retail sectors, is delighted to launch its PIM (Product Information Management) System and brand new website – specially designed to improve the online customer experience with a focus on driving more traffic to group members websites, so consumers support and buy from the independent retailer. Steve Jones, Managing Director at Sirius, says, “These newly created and ultra-beneficial resources are both exciting and important developments for Sirius Buying Group, ensuring we continue to do all we can to help our Members position themselves in the digital world and thrive. The PIM System feeds our Sirius website with over 5.5K products, complete with technical specifications and visual assets from our market leading Approved Suppliers, which is also available to all 185+ Sirius members to utilise across their own websites. As a direct consequence of this digital group investment, our Members are able to have the most current product content on their websites, without the difficulty and time constraints of keeping it up-to-date themselves. It also greatly benefits our Approved Suppliers as product information can be added and updated in one place, rather than sending to each and every Member in different required formats. We are proud to lead by example, as we encourage our members and the KBB industry to use the latest digital resources to their advantage. At a time when supply chain issues are proving challenging to the economy, while raising awareness to the end user on finding their nearest reputable, local independent.” The latest consumer research from Google indicates that UK shopping patterns have changed across all sectors so that a seamless Omni-channel experience is only going to become more vital. Recognising this, the new Sirius website is designed with clarity and ease in mind so that visitors can find what they need with minimum effort, whether they are consumers looking for a local retailer or retailers keen to see what the group has to offer. General Manager and Project Lead for the new Sirius website, Mark Veysey says, “We really wanted to optimise the flexibility of search on the website and make it mobile friendly so that all users can navigate with ease: which is why there’s a dedicated function to search for product type, name and number and an intuitive filter section for the consumer to find exactly what they require. In doing so, we’re able to provide end users the option to search however they wish in order to provide the best possible products for their needs” “We know that every business is unique and constantly-evolving and nowadays, consumers are extremely discerning when it comes to choosing suppliers of integrity. Trust, mutual respect and likability need to be conveyed through a positive and highly visible online presence, as we must recognise that retail now takes many forms from traditional bricks and mortar store to the Internet. With this in mind, by treating the web as a natural extension of your retail space and your digital offering will remain sustainable and actively drive new foot traffic to your business – be it online or in person. In my opinion, a website needs clarity and structure so your visitors always know where they currently are and where they need to go. Amongst the numerous services our members benefit from the PIM is designed to support them in achieving an online presence allowing them more time to spend on their business and it also removes the countless hours manually adding products to their website” adds Mark.

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Maximising the Use of Communal Spaces in the Office

In recent years, offices have started to embrace flexible working and different working styles. In an effort to increase productivity and staff satisfaction, a strong emphasis has been placed on communal areas. Whether it’s a breakout area for collaboration or just a chillout area for staff to escape their desks and have a break, communal spaces are becoming an essential part of office design. In the age of Wi-Fi, people can freely move around the office and discuss projects with their colleagues. To collaborate and work effectively together, people need a space to meet, which is why the communal working area is rapidly increasing in popularity. Allow for flexible working with modular furniture Modular furniture is pre-made or ready made furniture which can be used according to needs and room spacing. It’s easy to install and dismantle, which makes it great for communal areas, which can grow or decrease in size according to your requirements. The great thing about modular furniture is the easy creation of a wide variety of space-saving configurations. Because it is available in a broad range of designs and styles, it gives a modern look to your office and can be adapted to suit your brand. Modular furniture is specifically designed to expand as your company grows and makes it easy for workers to collaborate. Demountable walls and partitions can be reused and moved into alternate configurations to maximise space according to the occasion. AAT (The Association of Accounting Technicians) is one company that implemented modular seating and low-level partitions to facilitate better staff communication. They also installed modular solutions in the creation of a central meeting Hub which improved morale and staff retention. Make your communal areas fun to encourage creativity When designing communal spaces, there’s one group of people who should be at the forefront of your mind: your employees. Design with your employees in mind as Steve Jobs did when he was involved in the redesign of Pixar Studios. He mixed up employees to allow ‘unplanned collaborations’ to take place and commented, “We designed the building to make people get out of their offices and mingle in the central atrium with people they might not otherwise see.”  Likewise, Google has a rule where people can be placed no more than 150 feet from food, which encourages employees to collaborate in the many kitchens and dining areas. The decor should also be fun and represent the values of your company. Create different zones If your space is big enough it’s great to create different communal zones for different purposes. For example, one could have a table area for laptop work, another could comprise a social area with a bar, snacks and table football, and at the opposite end of the spectrum a quiet area with comfy chairs and industry books for reading and research. You can be as creative as you like with these areas; perhaps you prefer amphitheatre bench style conference facilities for internal meetings, presentations and brainstorming with large groups or maybe a central tea point between all departments. Our designers created a ‘shabby chic’ theme throughout EDC Communications open-plan office with different zones and seating areas built around central meeting rooms, including a space with table football and books. Focus on ergonomics Just because people aren’t using their desks, it doesn’t meant that they won’t need a comfortable environment in which to work or relax. If you go for ‘funky’ seating such as bean bags, don’t forget to address the balance with some supportive furniture. Accessories such as tablet mounts will help to ease the aches and pains associated with using wireless devices for long periods. Install a range of desks and seats so that people can move around and find what’s comfortable for them. Don’t forget to fit some standing desks for people who want a break from sitting down. NTT Data UK has a staff that mostly consists of consultants, so we made sure they had access to a variety of seating and standing desks throughout their offices at the Royal Exchange in the City of London. Install a communal wall Innovative companies like Facebook and Google are hugely desirable workplaces for young and creative people. They have at least one thing in common: they have all established areas where staff can share their ideas. These areas are usually white/blackboard areas where employees can brainstorm in an informal environment and write down spontaneous ideas that can be developed in a collaborative environment. We fitted a large blackboard in a open space for EMO & TRA marketing company. It allows for informal brainstorming and collaborative work, which fitted their objective to encourage creative thinking. This idea can be further adapted with pin boards or magnetic boards so that visuals can be displayed clearly. clippings, photographs, mood boards and anything else can be clearly seen. The installation of power modules or wireless chargers can keep people connected to check facts or look things up while they’re brainstorming. If you would like Interactive Space to help you maximise your communal space,  get in touch with their team of experts.

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Four contractors bid for £600m London Google HQ

Lendlease and Multiplex have entered the race to bid for Google ’s £600m HQ in London, alongside Mace and Sir Robert McAlpine. Bids were submitted last Friday for the mammoth project, ahead of an announcement by the internet giant this week that it was committing to building the scheme. Construction News reported in June that Mace and Sir Robert McAlpine were among those interested in the project. Google chief executive Sundar Pichai told the BBC: “We see big opportunities here. “This is a big commitment from us – we have some of the best talent in the world in the UK and to be able to build great products from here sets us up well for the long term.” Google said it planned to invest more than £1bn in the new King’s Cross building, designed by BIG and Heatherwick Studios, and hire thousands more staff. The scheme was put on hold in November 2013 after Google called for it to be redesigned. Bam Construct had been appointed as main contractor for the original scheme in March 2013, in a deal worth £300m. Plans for the new London HQ have an estimated construction value of more than £600m: £400m for the shell and core, and around £200m for the fit-out. Google’s staff are currently spread across offices in Covent Garden and Victoria, with the new offices bringing them together under one roof. The tech giant already has a presence at the King’s Cross redevelopment site, having taken 6 Pancras Square (pictured). It is also developing a 280,000 sq ft office block known as S2 on the site, which was given the green light by Camden Council in March. The 27 ha King’s Cross site is one of the largest redevelopments in London, with the masterplan including 50 buildings and 1,900 homes. It is being developed by the King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership, which includes Argent, DHL and London & Continental Railways and was formed in 2008. Argent declined to comment. One of the key ways Google brings in revenue is through ‘adwords’. Because this service is so important to many companies, you must make sure you use the best google adword agencies.

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