Rethinking office space • Hacker News Board

Re: Rethinking office space

#21

Post by Fomite » Fri, Feb 27, 2015, 8:19 PM UTC

btian wrote: post #14

Fomite wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can object to it if you want, but it's a well known phenomena - starting to build buildings is often a bad sign for the company's long-term future prospects. And since we're talking about companies peaking, the size of the company isn't particularly relevant. It is, of course, not a universal law, but lavish new office spaces are one of those things that don't seem to go well.

> it's a well known phenomena Do you have any data to back it up or did you just made it up?

http://www.businessinsider.com/poorly-timed-headquarters-200...

Or from a16z:

"Pouring huge money into overly glorious new headquarters — “The Edifice Complex” — then repeating two years later. There’s also a danger in signaling to employees “we’ve made it, we’re amazing” (and while everyone hates the cramped but collaborative space when they’re in it, they miss it terribly after the move)."

Re: Rethinking office space

#22

Post by alex_anglin » Fri, Feb 27, 2015, 8:20 PM UTC

Fomite wrote: post #11

btian wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the first time Google is developing an office complex from scratch and it's somehow "Edifice Complex"? Mind you this is a $400 billion company.

You can object to it if you want, but it's a well known phenomena - starting to build buildings is often a bad sign for the company's long-term future prospects. And since we're talking about companies peaking, the size of the company isn't particularly relevant. It is, of course, not a universal law, but lavish new office spaces are one of those things that don't seem to go well.

Data centers are buildings. They've built a bunch of those successfully.

Re: Rethinking office space

#23

Post by habosa » Fri, Feb 27, 2015, 8:21 PM UTC

I work at Google in MTV and this is very exciting to me. I think the higher-ups at this company have the vision to pull this off, I hope I stay engaged here long enough to see it.

The real concern (which Google can't fully solve) is housing. If you add 10k or 20k more employees in these beautiful new offices, where do they all live? I guess Google could build apartments too but that's not ideal, I don't want to live at work.

I currently commute to MTV from SF. I have a shitty apartment, i pay 2x as much as it's worth in any other city, and I commute 1.5hrs each way on a clogged highway. I hope it's doesn't get much worse.

Re: Rethinking office space

#24

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Feb 27, 2015, 8:21 PM UTC

benihana wrote: post #17

Fomite wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can object to it if you want, but it's a well known phenomena - starting to build buildings is often a bad sign for the company's long-term future prospects. And since we're talking about companies peaking, the size of the company isn't particularly relevant. It is, of course, not a universal law, but lavish new office spaces are one of those things that don't seem to go well.

>but it's a well known phenomena I'm a bit dubious when the top google link of this well known phenomenon is an urban dictionary definition.

[deleted]

Re: Rethinking office space

#25

Post by jlebar » Fri, Feb 27, 2015, 8:24 PM UTC

karangoeluw wrote: post #13

jlebar wrote: post #12

For those without 10 minutes to spend watching the video, the architects are BIG and Thomas Heatherwick. I really wish they'd give them written credit -- they're the ones who did all the work! (It's actually there, I just missed it. :-/)

> It's the first time we'll design and build offices from scratch and we hope these plans by Bjarke Ingels at BIG and Thomas Heatherwick at Heatherwick Studio will lead to a better way of working. They did.

Such fail. Thanks.

Re: Rethinking office space

#26

Post by mankyd » Fri, Feb 27, 2015, 8:24 PM UTC

habosa wrote: post #23

I work at Google in MTV and this is very exciting to me. I think the higher-ups at this company have the vision to pull this off, I hope I stay engaged here long enough to see it. The real concern (which Google can't fully solve) is housing. If you add 10k or 20k more employees in these beautiful new offices, where do they all live? I guess Google could build apartments too but that's not ideal, I don't want to live…

Interestingly, a long commute is one of the most highly correlated factors with regards to people's happiness: http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2011/06/perils-commu...

You may be happier living at work than you realize, (yes, I joke, but not as much as you'd think).

Re: Rethinking office space

#27

Post by mortenjorck » Fri, Feb 27, 2015, 8:25 PM UTC

It's nothing if not bold. It seems to be drawing a fair amount of inspiration from the Metabolist movement of the 1960s, particularly in its emphasis on modularity and even mobility. I have to wonder how practical that's going to be – the only truly modular building to come out of Metabolism is Kisho Kurokawa's Nakagin Capsule Tower (http://www.voicesofeastanglia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07...), but in four decades, none of the capsules have ever been moved or replaced.

Re: Rethinking office space

#28

Post by UnoriginalGuy » Fri, Feb 27, 2015, 8:28 PM UTC

habosa wrote: post #23

I work at Google in MTV and this is very exciting to me. I think the higher-ups at this company have the vision to pull this off, I hope I stay engaged here long enough to see it. The real concern (which Google can't fully solve) is housing. If you add 10k or 20k more employees in these beautiful new offices, where do they all live? I guess Google could build apartments too but that's not ideal, I don't want to live…

They could build housing then immediately sell those home by means of a loan to a non-profit created for this purpose. Who then pays off Google via rents.

Only issue is for legal reasons anyone could live there Google employee or not. However that is a good thing in the sense that if you lost your job your housing remains.

Re: Rethinking office space

#29

Post by cromwellian » Fri, Feb 27, 2015, 8:28 PM UTC

Google currently doesn't have space. MTV offices are packed, there's little space left to seat new employees, and no parking (pretty much have to rely on valet service)

Google has only 3 options:

1. find existing buildings nearby, but this increases sprawl even more 2. move to another city or only open space in other cities 3. build new buildings on land holdings you already have

#1 and #2 have the downsides of making it harder to collaborate.

It's not "Edifice Complex" if you have no choice but to build more space. And so, if you're going to build new buildings, why not get what you want to satisfy your requirements rather than a cookie cutter design?

Re: Rethinking office space

#30

Post by mbrzusto » Fri, Feb 27, 2015, 8:31 PM UTC

wouldn't it be better to use existing structures, like all the abandoned malls in the usa? why not distribute the workforce so people can live in an affordable, commutable area? and it bugs me further they couldn't find a way to locate walking distance to bart or caltrain.