Facebook’s fancy new digs designed by Frank “Architecture Is Shit” Gehry opened today, delivering the latest architectural smackdown in the ongoing space race between various Silicon Valley corporate campuses.
While there haven’t been any official photos released, as Co.Design discovered, Facebook let some Instagrammers with large follower counts roam the building (code name “MPK20”: Menlo Park, building 20), snapping shots of whatever struck their fancy. Here’s what we can tell from their photos of the new headquarters. And themselves.
“It’s one large room designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry with a nine-acre park on top”
Picture: pythonista_
All the featured photographers had some version of this phrase. There aren’t any photos truly showing the “one long room” yet, but here’s the roof. The garden is designed by CMG Landscape Architects.
Here’s the view from one side
Picture: alissa_isms
Not bad.
And here’s the view from the other side
Picture: pythonista_
Not bad at all.
There’s art by local artists
Picture: jeffreydgerson
15 Bay Area artists were selected to create original works for the campus, like these tree stumps arranged on the roof garden which make up Evan Shivley’s Camp Out. (Instagrammers not included.)
There are cool staircases
Picture: andrewblotky
Jagged, irregular, perplexing: A classic Gehry move.
The exterior is shiny
Picture: emmafineman
The hyper-reflective siding is similar to many of Gehry’s other projects like Disney Hall. Hopefully it doesn’t melt any trashcans.
There is an orange hallway
Picture: d.leong
This must be the betacarotene level.
There’s an undulating mosaic wall
Picture: alissa_isms
One of those commissioned artworks, by Barry McGee.
There’s lots of dripping paint
Picture: coryiander
Actually it’s the beautiful work of Maya Hayuk.
And they didn’t even use dropcloths on the floor
Picture: ezachung
Makes for a great backdrop for shooting foot selfies.
This wall will match your rainbow poncho (thank goodness)
Picture: karendoolittle
This colourful mural is by Jen Stark.
There’s a rope teepee
Picture: janelleburdette
For conducting social media smudging ceremonies.
And the bathrooms have custom icons
Picture: thebawdofeuphony
Fitting, for a company that has a thumbs-up icon out front.
There are more images going up all the time as employees get to work; check # mpk20 for more peeks inside.
Picture: thesamgraves