Hygge at Scale.

Blitz has partnered with Google to implement a redesign of spaces within the open office that meet Google's goals for a workplace that allows teams to collaborate, do focused work and innovate.

Design solutions break visual barriers in the workplace and create open, informal meeting areas with key intersection points on each floor. Removing the partitions of the walls and semi-closed nooks allows daylight to penetrate the internal areas of the floor plan and present a clear visual connection between the adjacent open spaces. A phased approach was implemented, in which two floors were transformed at the same time, while the campus was fully functional.

To instill a sense of ownership in the teams that occupy the spaces, the design team established environments inspired by homes that create an immediate feeling of comfort. Each auxiliary area is distinct in its design, but maintains a consistent vernacular across all buildings through textural and layered materiality. These spaces specifically bring the outside in, acting as centers on each floor, and mimic comfortable living rooms and outdoor patios.

A variety of seating options - informal lounge space for collaborative brainstorming, comfortable armchairs for focused work, flexible furniture with integrated whiteboard surfaces - allow users to use spaces according to the type of work they need accomplish. Blitz specified approximately 800 pieces of furniture in the two buildings. To further enhance the bespoke qualities of each collaboration zone, the design team organized spaces with selected decor items, artwork and easter eggs that cheerfully highlight the distinctive qualities of each area.

While variations in finishes, furniture and lighting provide each collaborative space with a distinct identity, the spaces are joined by a series of open wooden trusses.

Trusses guide the user through spaces and establish a clear location on the floor. By creating a distinct change in the condition of the ceiling, the trusses create a feeling of closeness and intimacy in the spaces of collaboration without restricting access to daylight or views.

The success of the project is related to the skillful coordination between the design team and several consultants. Blitz, whose immersive and agile process reflects Silicon Valley technology customers more than a traditional architecture firm, used Google's products to make coordination efficient and effective.