new google campus by BIG and heatherwick studio opens its doors in silicon valley

BIG and Heatherwick complete bay view campus for google

After five years of construction, Google has unveiled its newly completed Bay View campus in Silicon Valley, California. Conceived by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and Heatherwick Studio, as well as Google’s design and engineering teams, the project illustrates the company’s first effort in the development of a ground-up workplace environment that prioritizes human-centric and sustainable design principles.

Settling right next to NASA’s Ames Research Centre, the premises total 1.1 million sqft (102,193 sqm) including 20 acres (80,937 sqm) of open space, two office buildings, a 1,000-person event center, and 240 short-term employee accommodation units.

aerial photo of Google’s Bay View campus shows the wave-like form of the canopy covered in dragon-scale solar panels

image by Iwan Baan (also head image)

adaptable and healthy workspace interior

The design by BIG (see more here) and Heatherwick Studio (see more here) focuses on creating an adaptable and healthy workspace for all. Reflecting Google’s vision for the future of work, the interior was formed after multiple open discussions with the company’s employees.

‘After talking to Googlers about what they need from a workplace, we found that they’re happy, productive, and creative when they come together in teams, but need spaces that are buffered from sound and movement to get deep-focus work done.’ Google explains. As a result, team spaces were allocated on the upper levels and gathering spaces were positioned below, in order to separate focus and collaboration areas — with easy access between both.

aerial photo of Google’s Bay View campus in Silicon Valley 

image by Iwan Baan

incorporating biophilic principles

The project is based on biophilic design principles, incorporating greenery, and natural daylight, while offering outside views from every desk to improve the health and wellbeing of the employees. Clerestory windows regulate the access of direct sunlight onto desks with automated window shades that open and close over the course of the day. 

The ventilation system uses 100% outside air, meaning that air flows one way and there is no recycled air, which is much healthier for occupants. To remove toxins and create the healthiest environment possible, the project team evaluated multiple materials — everything from carpet tiles, paints, piping, plywood, and furniture were assessed using the Living Building Challenge (LBC) Red List as a framework.

an interior view of the canopy ceiling

image by Iwan Baan

dragon scale solar panel canopy ceiling 

Bay View is a 100% electric building where even the kitchens are electric to decrease carbon emissions. The buildings are powered in part by a distinctive wave-like canopy ceiling covered in dragon scale solar panels, generating 40% of its annual electricity. Combined with power from nearby wind farms, Bay View will be one of Google’s first campuses to operate on carbon-free energy 90% of the time. 

bird’s eye view of the second floor workspace shows how the employees can be in a connected space with individual team neighborhoods

image by Iwan Baan

the outdoor courtyard between the two primary buildings shows Google’s focus on connecting employees with nature

image by Iwan Baan

side view of the new buildings

image by Iwan Baan

the solar panel canopy ceiling of the building

image by Iwan Baan

project info: 

name: Google Bay View

architects: Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG),  Heatherwick Studio
company: Google

site size: 42 acres / 1,829,520 square feet

building size: 1.1 million sq ft (Bay View); 590,000 sq ft (Charleston East) Location: Mountain View, CA Client: Google 

construction start date: 2017 (Bay View); 2016 (Charleston East)

construction finish date: 2022 (Bay View); 2023 (Charleston East)

sustainability certification/s: Pursuing LEED Platinum V4 certification and Living Building Challenge Petal certification 

collaborators: BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group (Design Architect), Heatherwick Studio (Design Architect), Sares Regis (Development Group), Adamson (Executive Architect), STUDIOS (Interior Architect), Populous (Events Consultant), Thornton Tomasetti (Structural Engineers), Integral Group (Mechanical, Plumbing & Fire Protection Engineer), Olin (Landscape Architect), ARUP (Acoustic Consultant & Facade Engineers), BKF (Civil Engineer), Sherwood (Water Engineer), Holmes (Fire & Life Safety), Kleinfelder (Geotechnical Engineer), Loisos + Ubbelohde (Daylighting Consultant), FMS (Lighting Consultant), C.S. Caulkins Co (Access & Maintenance), Teecom (Telecommunications), Whiting-Turner (General Contractor), Applied Wayfinding (Signage & Wayfinding) 

partners-in-charge: Bjarke Ingels, Thomas Christoffersen, Daniel Sundlin, Leon Rost

project leaders: Blake Smith, Ryan Harvey, David Iseri, Florencia Kratsman

project managers: Linus Saavedra, Ziad Shehab

team: Agla Egilsdottir, Alessandra Peracin, Ali Chen, Andriani Atmadja, Alvaro Velosa, Armen Menendian, Benjamin Caldwell, Benson Chien, Bernard Peng, Brian Zhang, Camilo Aspeny, Cheyne Owens, Christopher Wilson, Claire Thomas, Cristian Lera, Cristina Medina-Gonzalez, Danielle Kemble, David Spittler, Deborah Campbell, Derek Wong, Diandian Li, Dylan Hames, Erik Kreider, Eva Maria Mikkelsen, Guillaume Evain, Hacken Li, Helen Chen, Isabella Marcotulli, Isela Liu, Jason Wu, Jennifer Dudgeon, Jennifer Kimura, Jennifer Wood, Jeremy Siegel, Jia Chengzhen, Ji-Young Yoon, Jian Yong Khoo, John Hilmes, Jonathan Fournier, Joshua Plourde, Julien Beauchamp-Roy, Kalina Pilat, Kiley Feickert, Kurt Nieminen, Lina Bondarenko, Mads Kjaer, Manon Otto, Marcus Kujala, Maria Acosta, Meghan Bean, Michelle Stromsta, Nandi Lu, Nicole Passarella, Olga Khuraskina, Oliver Colman, Otilia Pupezeanu, Patrick Hyland, Peter Kwak, Ramona Montecillo, Rita Sio, Sebastian Claussnitzer, Sebastian Grogaard, Seo Young Shin, Shu Zhao, Siva Sepehry Nejad, Terrence Chew, Thomas McMurtrie, Tiago Sa, Timothy Cheng, Tingting Lyu, Valentino Vitacca, Vincenzo Polsinelli, Walid Bhatt, Yesul Cho, Yina Moore. 

photography: Iwan Baan