One thing Google has become known for is their spectacular work environments. From playful employee lounges to environmentally sensitive design, the multifaceted internet giant has successfully transformed hundreds of existing spaces from around the globe into casual work environments that spawn innovation, optimizes efficiency, and boasts employee satisfaction. Much like many other California-based corporations, Google has been toying with the idea of building their own office space from scratch. Well, this dream will soon be realized, as the company has teamed up with Seattle-based NBBJ to expand their current, 65-building “Googleplex” in Mountain View, California, by adding a 1.1-million-square-foot complex known as “Bay View” on a neighboring 42-acre site.
More on Bay View after the break...
Although the first schematic rendering has proved the new complex to be aesthetically adequate, it is no surprise that Google has prioritized function over form. The building’s concept was developed from the inside-out, starting with the visual translation of Google’s employee analytics. The entire complex is based on the understanding of current employee daily work habits, what type of environments they prefer, the logistics of department layouts in relation to which groups work best with each other, and more. In addition, Google expressed the desire to generate a form that maximized “casual collisions of the work force,” an important aspect commonly prioritized in modern work environments.
“You can’t schedule innovation,” Civil Engineer David Radcliffe, who oversees Google’s real estate said, according to Paul Goldberger of Vanity Affair. “We want to create opportunities for people to have ideas and be able to turn to others right there and say, ‘What do you think of this?’”
The result ended up being not too far different than their existing offices. NBBJ’s schematic proposal features nine, bent rectangles clustered on the large 42-acre site in a way to form a variety of lush courtyards and pathways. Most structures rise up to four stories and will each offer a comfortable mix of quiet workspaces, naturally lit communal and social space, gourmet cafes, and more. All of these spaces will be connected by a series of bridges, one of which will provide workers access to a green roof with an outdoor cafe and gathering space.
In addition to the “casual and quirky work environment”, Bay View will be the largest office complex in the United States with all radiant heating.
