KGX1 Google London HQ

KGX1, Google’s completed London headquarters, sits within the King’s Cross regeneration area. Often referred to as the “landscraper”, the building extends for more than 330 metres, a length comparable to the height of The Shard, and is designed to accommodate up to 4,500 Google employees. It is Google’s first purpose-built headquarters outside of the United States and forms a major part of the company’s presence in the UK.

Designed by Heatherwick Studio and Bjarke Ingels Group, with BDP and structural engineers AKT II, the building brings together large-scale workplace accommodation with a wide range of staff facilities. These include a 25-metre swimming pool, rooftop garden and running track, wellness areas, a multi-use sports hall and a materials palette that gives the interior a warmer, more natural feel than a conventional office environment.

BIM Technologies was engaged from RIBA Stage 3 to support the digital delivery of the project. This included translating Google’s global digital standards into project outputs suited to the UK regulatory, construction and operational context. The work helped define structured information requirements and coordinate BIM outputs for design development, construction planning and long-term asset management.

Throughout the project, BIM Technologies worked with the architectural and engineering teams, the main contractor and the wider supply chain. The scope included federated model coordination, asset data capture, COBie compliance, deliverable audits and workflow support, helping ensure that project information remained consistent and usable through design, construction and handover.

KGX1 was developed with high environmental targets, including BREEAM Outstanding and LEED Platinum ambitions. These targets required clear, verifiable data through the project stages. BIM Technologies supported this process through data capture, quality checks and information reviews aligned with the project’s sustainability and performance requirements.

The scale of KGX1 made coordinated digital information central to the delivery process. BIM Technologies’ involvement helped maintain a consistent digital thread across disciplines, supporting handover and providing information that can continue to serve the building during operation.