Google released some new details about its planned San Jose campus on Thursday, with renderings and a 473 slide deck.
The renderings give an idea of how Google envisions the new campus, with more detailed information in the slide deck produced for the city of San Jose. It will encompass far more than the quirky office style that Google is known for: there are plans for up to 5,900 residencies, retail spaces, pop-up events, and publicly accessible nature through trails and paths.
The design seems to consciously base itself off of aspects of San Jose that already exist. The Los Gatos Creek is highlighted in a larger nature area, and Google details plans to follow San Jose's climate change initiative by designing large open spaces to combat urban heat islands, accessible public transportation, and a possible onsite wastewater collection and recycling facility. Now, Google is asking for resident feedback before the plan is considered for approval by the San Jose city council in the spring.
Some big tech companies aren't slowing down their real estate plans this year, despite the pandemic. Facebook paid $376.6 million for REI's former unfinished Seattle-era headquarters, and Amazon just leased two million additional square feet of office space in Bellevue.
Meanwhile, as more work shifts remote Pinterest canceled a large San Francisco lease, and Twitter is trying to sublet parts of its San Francisco headquarters after telling workers they can work from home indefinitely.
Take a look inside Google's plans here.
The 79-acre campus would be a workplace for 25,000 employees.
Google's plan is to integrate the campus into the city, and make it "mixed-use, inclusive, and of San José."
The campus wouldn't be just offices, it would include about 15 acres of open space, including nature walks, creeks, and bike trails.
The area would be divided primarily by experience. The Southend connects to local transit and trails, and has childcare, while the Meander is a promenade of outdoor gathering space.
The Core would be mixed-use, with retail spaces and the main transit hub, and the Northend is focused on arts and culture.
The Gateway, rendered here, is planned to be an "immersive learning exchange" according to Google.
It would be a plaza set up for pop-up events with an amphitheater used by Google and the San Jose community.
The Meander would be a pedestrian-only space with seating and a lawn for screenings and performances.
The Creekside Walk would be another 1.5 acres of "urban to nature" connection, over Los Gatos Creek, and only about 100 feet from the light rail station.
