Designing for land, not against it 

Why land strategy is becoming one of the most critical decisions in data center design 

Land & Power series part I by Charlotte Ware, Director of Design, atNorth 

Traditionally, within the data center industry, land has been treated as a practical necessity: secure a plot, build quickly, scale efficiently. Design referred to digital infrastructure and catered only to client requirements. 

With the acceleration of AI democratization today, data centers are under pressure to deliver greater densities, higher compute performance, and tighter total cost of ownership (TCO). According to McKinsey & Company, global demand for data center capacity could more than triple by 2030, representing a six-fold increase in less than a decade. The race to secure land, power, and customer commitments is on, with speed to market being a key competitive differentiator. 

As demand accelerates and scrutiny increases, land is no longer just a location decision but a strategic, environmental and social consideration. In 2026 and beyond, the question is not how much land we can acquire, but how responsibly can we work with what is available. This marks the starting point of atNorth’s Land & Power series, where we explore what it truly means to design data centers for land, not against it, and why this approach is becoming fundamental to long-term, responsible growth. 

Land scarcity is reshaping the industry 

Land suitable for data center development is increasingly scarce, particularly near urban and latency-sensitive markets where access to the holy trinity of power, fiber and customers is strongest. In dense regions, rising costs and competition from residential and commercial land use is forcing operators to rethink how and where they build. 

Scarcity is no longer just a constraint; it is becoming a significant driver in better decision-making. It demands a more thoughtful approach to site selection, taking into consideration not only availability, but also long-term resilience, sustainability and societal value. 

At atNorth, this means looking beyond immediate capacity needs and asking some difficult, but very important questions: can the site support efficient operations, renewable integration and future expansion without compromising its surrounding environment or community? 

Brownfield vs Greenfield: two paths, one goal 

The industry often frames brownfield and greenfield development as opposing paths. In reality, the decision is rarely binary. Both can provide excellent foundations for modern, sustainable data centers, providing that design, development, and implementation is thoughtful, responsible and considerate. 

Greenfield sites offer flexibility to design from the ground up. By taking a thoughtful approach, these sites can integrate with the surrounding environment, enhancing biodiversity and ensuring minimal disruption to local communities, proving that new development can coexist harmoniously with nature. 

Brownfield sites demonstrate the enormous potential of repurposing industrial land. For example, atNorth’s Kouvola campus in Finland, is transforming a former paper mill into a state-of-the-art digital infrastructure hub. The project not only brings new economic activity to the region but also leverages existing infrastructure and supports circular energy initiatives, showing that regeneration can create lasting value. 

Ultimately, the right approach depends on factors such as climate, zoning, grid proximity, community context, and long-term growth potential. The key is ensuring that whichever path is chosen, the land can host a data center that is efficient, sustainable, and beneficial to the community over decades, not just during construction. 

What makes “good” data center land in 2026? 

As expectations evolve, so too does the definition of “good” land. Today, it goes far beyond square meters and acquisition cost. 

Future-ready sites are increasingly defined by their ability to support: 

• Proximity to low-carbon power, reducing long-term emissions intensity 

• Favorable climate conditions, more efficient cooling and lower water use 

• Clear planning alignment, allowing transparent and collaborative development 

• Meaningful community engagement, built on trust and long-term benefit 

• Room for expansion, without disruption to business, community and nature 

These factors are deeply interconnected: location influences efficiency, efficiency influences sustainability, and sustainability influences the long-term performance. 

Designing for the land, not against it 

Designing for land means respecting its constraints, amplifying its strengths and minimizing disruption. It means adapting architecture and infrastructure to local conditions, rather than imposing uniform designs across vastly different environments. 

At atNorth, this principle underpins how sites are planned and built. Modular design reduces construction impact, landscaping and low-profile architecture help facilities blend into their surroundings, and long-term planning ensures land can support growth without repeated upheaval. We believe the most resilient data centers are not just technically robust, they are environmentally and socially linked to the infrastructure. 

This is why land strategy must be approached holistically. Sustainability cannot be retrofitted later; it must be embedded at the point of site selection. atNorth’s developments in the Nordics reflect this philosophy, where climate, power availability and community infrastructure are treated as foundational design inputs rather than constraints to work around. 

Bringing land, sustainability and community together 

Designing for land is no longer about fitting infrastructure into a location, but about building data centers that sit at the heart of thriving communities where land stewardship, renewable energy, water impact and community benefit intersect. Success is defined less by the type of land and more by a thoughtful, respectful approach to development. By considering biodiversity, heat reuse, renewable integration, and landscape-led design from the outset, data centers can be fully embedded into their surroundings rather than imposed upon them. 

Looking ahead, the way we select, and design sites will define the next era of responsible data center growth. This Land & Power series will explore how these elements come together and why designing with intention is becoming essential to the future of data center development, showing how sustainable infrastructure can deliver value far beyond the footprint of the building itself.