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A sustainable Australian workplace for the global search engine company that is an important strategic tool
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futurespace worked with Google to relocate their Australian HQ to a new home in Pyrmont’s “Workplace 6” - Australia’s first multi tenanted 6 Star Green Star Certified building. The workplace was a key part of Google’s strategy to attract and retain the very best and brightest people and so the design required a ‘think outside the square’ solution that was aligned with Google’s strong culture.
The workplace is innovative and creative providing a rich variety of themed spaces to support the many ways ‘Googlers’ prefer to meet and work. Eleven different design themes were developed that mean each built zone becomes a destination in its own right. The Australian themed reception and meeting area showcases a four metre wide ‘living wall’ that grows around the Google logo in rusted metal and one of the main meeting rooms is technically ‘upside down’ in a nod to the fact that is Google downunder. There is a wintergarden acknowledging Google maps, a home grown invention. Themes for other meeting zones include ‘Under the Sea’, ‘Sport’ (of course!) and ‘Bladerunner’. The staff café is well equipped with fantastic catering and harbour views, all under the theme of ‘Surf Club’. The library, a no phone zone, embraces a ‘Tree House’ theme with other meeting zones variously themed ‘Rainforest’, ‘Dunnies and Algae’, ‘Parks and Picnics’ and ‘Retro Chic’.
There is a serious side to the workplace too. Everyone is allocated a workstation in the open plan area – there are no dedicated offices. The desks can be moved around within an individual’s footprint allowing people flexibility and a degree of autonomy. Individual ‘me’ space is efficient so that more team ‘we’ space available to all. And the entire workplace is wireless so that people can take their laptops and work anywhere – whether that be in a tent, near the aquarium or at the running track.
One of the most valuable assets a business has is its people. Google invests a great deal of effort in building a culture that people want to be part of and the workplace is a big enabler of this goal. In May 2009 Google was acknowledged as Australia’s best company to work for in the inaugural BRW Great Places to Work survey, and again topped the list in 2011. With almost 20,000 people regularly applying for 100 positions, the physical workplace is used to facilitate the attraction of future Googlers.
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