As cloud infrastructure takes over the world, the Earth’s population faces an impending threat: Ugly datacenters.
These enormous windowless complexes have been turning up since 1946. Unfortunately, it seems the design of these buildings hasn’t improved much from the original ENIAC laboratory.
So, we at Silverlinings present our top 10 very worst offenders.
10. IBM Mobile Modular Data Centers
IBM gets off easy on our list with their minimalist trailer designs, though with IBM, it’s less about how something looks and more so how it performs.
9. Meta Data Center, Kansas City, Missouri
A veritable fortress rising from a flat plain, gray in green. Ten points for the landscaping though.
8. Meta Data Center, Lulea, Sweden
Painting a building black that is meant to stay cool seems a little counterintuitive. However, considering there is no sun in Sweden, it may not be a problem. (Note the aggressive number of Volvos in dirt parking lot).
7. Council Bluffs Google Data Center, Iowa
Seven on our list in terms of design but number one in inducing potent depressive moods.
6. AWS Data Center, Frankfurt, Germany
Don’t let the golden hour fool you, the data center alleyway concept grows in popularity, even internationally.
5. Boston University’s Center for Computing & Data Sciences, Boston, Mass.
4. Apple Data Command Center, Ariz.
This data center has been awarded fourth place on our list due to its cooling systems redirecting water from the drought-stricken communities around it.
3. Microsoft Campus IT-PACs, Va.
The trailer park of Datacenters — and a sight to behold.
2. U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) Bumblehive, Utah
With a sign reading, “If you have nothing to hide. You have nothing to fear,” in front of the main entrance to a sprawling complex deep in the mountains. A secret fortress of privacy violations, far removed from the civilization it claims to protect. Ten points for a cool name, though.
1. Long Lines Building, New York City
While not officially a data center, the Long Lines Building is likely the location of an NSA mass surveillance hub. It’s rooftop equipment connected to the NSA SKIDROWE satellite intelligence system. Ten points for the most frightening buidling on the list.
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