Land of the Setting Sun
Mercedes-Benz India|July-September 2016

SAN FRANCISCO is about as far West as it gets – right on the setting sun’s doorstep. Nevertheless, this place plays a pivotal role in moulding the world of tomorrow – because the Bay Area is the beating heart of the digital age. A trip to the crucible of the future.

Gero Gunther
Land of the Setting Sun

The rectangular edifice of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art looks pale, as if all traces of art and even life itself have been sucked right out of it. The neighbouring skyscrapers are devoid of colour as well. Something’s seriously amiss in this city that is so colourful in reality. Suddenly movement enters the tableau: a massive index finger races down Market Street, threatening to push the venerable Ferry Building on the Embarcadero straight into the ivory-coloured waters of San Francisco Bay.

Sarah Brin’s finger stops just in time. A software developer for Autodesk, Inc., the last thing she wants to do is trash the authentically detailed model of San Francisco that her company has created. The miniature monochrome plastic model is a three-dimensional printout. City planners can alter it on a computer to their heart’s content, then generate a new 3D model. It’s a very useful urban planning tool, and also symbolic of the development of this west coast metropolis: nowhere else in the world are advances in digital technology applied as immediately as in San Francisco. Brin’s fingertip now hovers over the replica of the waterfront building in which she is currently situated. Her company is one of the worldwide market leaders in computer-aided design. “What we do here,” she says, “is difficult to categorise. It’s a new kind of creativity.”

This story is from the July-September 2016 edition of Mercedes-Benz India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the July-September 2016 edition of Mercedes-Benz India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM MERCEDES-BENZ INDIAView All
Riding With The Rain
Mercedes-Benz India

Riding With The Rain

Ardent travellers Priyanka Jena and Tanveer Taj, along with their four-legged furry friends, embark on a fun-filled monsoon drive to the Phansad region of Maharashtra in a Mercedes-Benz GLE

time-read
3 mins  |
July - September 2019
Nice Swing
Mercedes-Benz India

Nice Swing

Mercedes-Benz is a major golf sponsor both in Germany and abroad, and with good reason. The biggest events of the summer and a plea for the green sport

time-read
3 mins  |
July - September 2019
In The Business Of Art
Mercedes-Benz India

In The Business Of Art

Balancing her family business and her love for art, entrepreneur and artist Akshita Gandhi says that hard work and passion have brought her success

time-read
2 mins  |
July - September 2019
Intelligence Redefined
Mercedes-Benz India

Intelligence Redefined

Mercedes-Benz launches the new E-Class in India with BS VI-compliant engines. It's the perfect combination of responsible luxury and intelligence for a higher purpose

time-read
4 mins  |
July - September 2019
Federer - The human superstar
Mercedes-Benz India

Federer - The human superstar

Roger Federer is one of the best tennis players of all time. It’s easy to believe he has achieved world fame with ease and humility. But is that really the case? Our author spent a day with the Swiss star on the set of a shoot in Dubai – and came back inspired

time-read
6 mins  |
July - September 2019
The Performance Life
Mercedes-Benz India

The Performance Life

Life without performance? Quite unthinkable, if your car comes from the venerable stables of Mercedes-AMG. The new compact luxury models from the marque swear by this credo

time-read
3 mins  |
January - March 2018
The Art Of Chocolate
Mercedes-Benz India

The Art Of Chocolate

Chocolate becomes a work of art when, from the bean to the bar, a single manufacturer oversees every step, transforming it into something very exclusive and supremely luxurious.

time-read
4 mins  |
January - March 2018
S-class of Suvs
Mercedes-Benz India

S-class of Suvs

Mercedes-Benz India launched its most luxurious SUV in India – the GLS 350 d – and commenced its local production.

time-read
1 min  |
July-September 2016
A Sparkling Heritage
Mercedes-Benz India

A Sparkling Heritage

Chandra Surana is spearheading the growth of Bhuramal Rajmal Surana (johuree), a name with a centuries-old legacy in heritage-styled jewellery.

time-read
2 mins  |
July-September 2016
He Says She Says
Mercedes-Benz India

He Says She Says

His and hers. Both love setting out on a road trip, particularly in a luxurious set of wheels. He likes to drive, while she enjoys the comfort features and tech wizardry inside the car. The GLC is a perfect choice for the pune couple.

time-read
2 mins  |
July-September 2016