Google’s newest headquarters in New York, situated within the St. John’s Terminal, will open its doors on February 26th, marking a milestone for the company’s presence in the city. Designed by COOKFOX Architects, in collaboration with Gensler, the headquarters is constructed atop the original 1930s rail terminal and adapted to become a vibrant hub for over 14,000 Googlers. The terminal, formerly the endpoint of the iconic High Light, now serves as a testament to the company’s innovative approach, rapid growth, and lifelong commitment to New York.
To cater the evolving dynamics of modern work culture, the design of St. John’s terminal prioritizes collaboration and flexibility. Rather than traditionally assigned desks, the office adopts a “shared neighborhood” seating model. This entails a space allocated for each team, fostering social connections and “acting as their home base.” The design includes over 60 neighborhoods in all, each designed to support teams of roughly 20-50 workers. This approach, informed by extensive research on contemporary work patterns, hopes to create spaces that enhance productivity and innovation.
The scheme features a diverse range of communal areas, including expansive work lounges, cafes, terraces, and “micro-kitchens,” providing Googlers with a variety of work environments tailored to their needs. This emphasis on choice and adaptability empowers all employees to work throughout the day, promoting a dynamic workplace culture.
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Uniting Science and Nature: Henning Larsen Wins Competition to Design B777 CERN Campus in FranceBeyond the workspace, St. John’s Terminal also acts as a hub for collaboration and engagement with partners and clients. The office promotes meaningful relationships and creative problem-solving by providing event spaces, breakout rooms, and dedicated floors for partner-based work modes.
By highlighting this large-scale historical infrastructure, which was so crucial to the city’s development, we grounded the building in history and place while providing a base from which to build a contemporary biophilic workplace. Preserving such a large component of the original St. John’s Terminal allows the project to save approximately 78,400 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, compared with creating a new structural foundation.—COOKFOX Architects.
Finally, the St. John’s Terminal prioritizes environmental responsibility and sustainability. The proposal repurposes the existing historic building in a way that minimizes its carbon footprint and aims to improve the local ecosystem by adding biophilic design components like solar panels and landscaped terraces. In fact, the building has LEED V4 Platinum Certification for its core and shell development and is pursuing LEED v4 Platinum Certification for interiors.
In similar news, Henning Larsen and Ramboll have won the competition to design the new campus for the prestigious scientific research center, CERN. Designed to integrate science and nature, the B777 building uses biogenic materials and low-carbon methods to reimagine traditional laboratory settings. Additionally, Mecanoo, in collaboration with Meng Architects and LOLA Landscape Architects, has recently been selected as the winner of the international design competition for the design of the Shenzhen Guangming Scientist Valley.
