Facebook is building its first data center in Asia — take a look at the futuristic, boxy design (FB)

Facebook's data center empire is expanding into Asia.

This week, the Silicon Valley social networking giant announced that it is spending more than $1 billion US (1.4 billion Singapore dollars) building its first custom data centre on the continent, in Singapore.

It will be a big, rectangular affair, according to renders released by Facebook, featuring translucent cladding "made of a perforated lightweight material that allows airflow and proceeds glimpses of the state-of-the-art mechanical equipment inside," and its front is bedecked with rows of plants.

Why Singapore? "

We're very excited about expanding our data center footprint into Asia, and it becoming part of our highly advanced infrastructure that helps bring Facebook apps and services to you every day."