I collaborated on various branded content projects for Editora Abril’s content marketing hub, Estúdio ABC. Among the brands I worked with were IBM, Renault, and Cisco, on projects related to technology. With IBM, we focused on cloud computing, explaining the concept to readers and its various applications. For Renault, we crafted a story on the world's largest data centers to support a broader campaign by the automaker, which featured a hacker character. Lastly, for Cisco, we developed stories related to the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, highlighting the company’s technology and connectivity projects for the Games and the legacy left for the city.
Sample article:
It’s in the Cloud! Discover the World’s Most Amazing Data Centers
Whether housed in new or old structures, buried underground, or located in the coldest parts of the planet, the world of data centers is far more remarkable than you might imagine, going well beyond just cables and blinking lights. In several countries, major tech companies like Google and Facebook employ top engineers and creative solutions to make these facilities more efficient and secure, ensuring that photos, emails, and messages from people all over the world can circulate smoothly.
In the “Hackers” episode of Renault’s Renografias series, viewers get a glimpse into this universe and the scale of responsibility involved in working at a large data center. The video shows a day in the life of one of these professionals, the “guardians of information,” responsible for safeguarding everything from banking data and your latest Instagram photo to the series’ very own video, hosted on a YouTube server.
Here, we’ve listed five impressive data centers from the real world:
Iron Mountain Underground Data Center
This data center seems straight out of a spy movie. Located in Pennsylvania, USA, it was built 67 meters underground in a former limestone mine. Guarded by a 3-ton steel gate, armed agents, metal detectors, traps, biometric access controls, and cameras, the Iron Mountain underground center is ideal for companies looking to store sensitive data while being shielded from natural disasters. To cool its machines, the center takes advantage of the naturally cooler cave air and water from an underground lake.
This data center seems straight out of a spy movie. Located in Pennsylvania, USA, it was built 67 meters underground in a former limestone mine. Guarded by a 3-ton steel gate, armed agents, metal detectors, traps, biometric access controls, and cameras, the Iron Mountain underground center is ideal for companies looking to store sensitive data while being shielded from natural disasters. To cool its machines, the center takes advantage of the naturally cooler cave air and water from an underground lake.
Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Spain
One of the most beautiful data centers in the world, it’s not just hackers who will appreciate its architecture. Built inside the Torre Girona, a former church in Barcelona that has preserved its architecture, this supercomputer center houses the MareNostrum, Spain’s most powerful supercomputer. It assists in highly complex calculations, such as genomic mapping and weather forecasting. Enclosed in glass, the contrast between its LED lights and the stone arches of the old church is jaw-dropping!
One of the most beautiful data centers in the world, it’s not just hackers who will appreciate its architecture. Built inside the Torre Girona, a former church in Barcelona that has preserved its architecture, this supercomputer center houses the MareNostrum, Spain’s most powerful supercomputer. It assists in highly complex calculations, such as genomic mapping and weather forecasting. Enclosed in glass, the contrast between its LED lights and the stone arches of the old church is jaw-dropping!
Facebook Data Center in Luleå, Sweden
Like any computer, data center machines need cooling—only on a much larger scale. Facebook, for instance, utilizes the frigid air near the Arctic Circle to cool its computers at the Luleå data center in Sweden. The excess heat is even used to maintain a comfortable office temperature for employees. Known as the Node Pole, this region, with its abundance of hydroelectric power, has become a favored location for such facilities.
Like any computer, data center machines need cooling—only on a much larger scale. Facebook, for instance, utilizes the frigid air near the Arctic Circle to cool its computers at the Luleå data center in Sweden. The excess heat is even used to maintain a comfortable office temperature for employees. Known as the Node Pole, this region, with its abundance of hydroelectric power, has become a favored location for such facilities.
Google Data Center in Hamina, Finland
Facebook isn’t the only company benefiting from cold regions to cool its computers. In 2009, Google purchased a 60-year-old paper mill in Finland and transformed it into a modern data center. The company invested 350 million euros and employed over 2,000 workers from 50 different companies to complete the project. The cooling system is among the most advanced, using the freezing waters of the Gulf of Finland to control machine temperatures.
Facebook isn’t the only company benefiting from cold regions to cool its computers. In 2009, Google purchased a 60-year-old paper mill in Finland and transformed it into a modern data center. The company invested 350 million euros and employed over 2,000 workers from 50 different companies to complete the project. The cooling system is among the most advanced, using the freezing waters of the Gulf of Finland to control machine temperatures.
Bahnhof Inflatable Modular Data Center, Sweden
Located in Sweden, this data center may look like a playground structure or art installation, but its inflatable walls enable a modular design that allows for future expansion. The inflatable “skeleton,” which includes a central hub for equipment dispatch and team movement, connects to rooms that house the computers, protected by military-grade metal, surveillance cameras, alarms, metal detectors, and other security systems.
Located in Sweden, this data center may look like a playground structure or art installation, but its inflatable walls enable a modular design that allows for future expansion. The inflatable “skeleton,” which includes a central hub for equipment dispatch and team movement, connects to rooms that house the computers, protected by military-grade metal, surveillance cameras, alarms, metal detectors, and other security systems.
