18 February 2020
The office, called Google Spruce Goose, is located in Playa Vista – a neighbourhood near LAX airport. The project entailed the overhaul of a large timber-framed hangar that was constructed in 1943 by Howard Hughes, the famed businessman, film producer and pilot.
Measuring 750 feet (229 metres) in length, the facility was built for the construction of the H-4 Hercules airplane, nicknamed the Spruce Goose due to its massive size and wooden structure.
The aircraft moved out years ago and is now on view in Oregon. In the 1990s, the hangar was converted into a film production facility. Google began leasing the facility in 2016 and tapped Oregon-based ZGF to transform the interior into an office.
"Given the nature of the client organisation and the rich history of the building, the project demanded a wholly unique design approach," ZGF states on its website.
The adaptive reuse project entailed the creation of a "building within a building". The team inserted floor plates that vary in shape and size. Workers circulate through the dynamic space via zigzagging stairs and elevated walkways. The perimeter of each floor features a "boardwalk" with either mesh or glass railings, which add to the office's fluid and open atmosphere. Encompassing 450,000 square feet (41,806 square metres), the building contains offices, conference rooms, cafes, a fitness centre and a 250-person event space.
The office is fitted with custom furnishings, colourful artwork and potted plants. Aviation themes were incorporated into phone rooms and meeting rooms, which have names like Kite and Zephyr.
"Hospitality spaces are each designed with a contemporary twist on the iconic style of a bygone era," the architects described.