Google’s first ground up mass timber development sets new standards for biophilic and structural design, construction techniques, material sourcing, and carbon reduction. Google approached 1265 Borregas with a goal to create a scalable building solution that puts health and sustainability first as they work towards their goal to operate on carbon-free energy by 2030.
Elegant in its simplicity, the LEED Platinum building leverages mass timber as a way to dramatically reduce carbon emissions and create a warm, welcoming, and healthy workspace. Architects mixed single- and double-height spaces and connected them with a four-story atrium illuminated by a timber-glass skylight, bringing natural sunlight into the space and creating both visual and physical connections between teams and individuals within the building. Glue-laminated timber (glulam) beams and columns and cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels are left exposed throughout the interior. Knowing that adaptability is essential for Google’s business, designers worked to provide flexibility for future reconfigurations that maximize long-term functionality of the space.