Inside Uber’s huge new San Francisco HQ: Concept design pictures reveal plans for 420,000 sq ft Mission Bay office
When you're one of the most highly valued startups in the world with millions of dollars of venture capital backing, there's a few things you could splash some of that cash on.
For Uber, as well as expanding its global empire, that means building a huge new headquarters from which to mastermind that world domination.
Plans for the new office in San Francisco's Mission Bay, home to some of the world's biggest tech companies, have been unveiled, and as you might expect, it's pretty impressive, and may well inspire a touch of office envy.
In a change to convention for a bright young tech startup, the firm is avoiding the traditional open plan style for a "hub concept" to avoid rows and rows of desks, Uber's head of global workplace, Adony Beniares told the San Francisco business times.
The building will still feel light and airy however, with massive glass panels cladding the entire building letting in not only light, but the public's gaze too.
The new space is an addition to Uber's three existing locations in San Francisco's Market Street district – leases for them run until 2023 and it's "working on the core and shell and concepts of the interiors right now, and we’re still working on our future headcount," Beniares said.
The concept will connect one eleven-storey and another six storey building via three glass walkways over the street below.
Designed by architects SHoP, the building is due for completion in 2018.
The interiors will be designed by Studio O+A, which has previously worked on offices for the likes of Facebook and AOL.
There's no word yet on those all-important features (slides, bar, nap room) that will add the requisite cool factor sought by Silicon Valley firms.