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Rethinking office space

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Re: Rethinking office space

#31

Post by RogerL »

I work near a wall of windows, which is quite nice. But every morning I'm pulling and adjusting the blinds to avoid being blinded by the morning sun. I also wonder about what it will sound like when it rains. I guess with that will the curved roof transmit sound very long distances, such that you can hear quiet conversations across the building.

I'm don't mean this as negatively as this probably sounds. Google has done a lot of innovation in things like data centers, and I am hoping they have similar innovations for the problems I have raised.

Re: Rethinking office space

#32

Post by mattmanser »

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.

That says more about you than the term, it's not top in an incog search.

Re: Rethinking office space

#34

Post by toast0 »

mbrzusto wrote: post #30

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.

There aren't any abandoned malls near the existing offices.

Re: Rethinking office space

#35

Post by jasonkester »

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…

For what it's worth, MTV doesn't mean Mountain View to anybody who doesn't live or work in Mountain View.

To everybody else it means MTV, making the things you say very confusing.

Re: Rethinking office space

#36

Post by jarjoura »

It's interesting that Google's office plan is garnering a lot of negative feedback.

When Apple announced a plan to make one giant office building to house its entire corporate workforce, the general consensus was positive. Even Cupertino's politicians praised its ambition and assumed wealth it will bring to the city. Has anyone been in Cupertino recently? It feels like almost every single office building in that city is occupied by Apple now :-|.

Not saying any of it is bad, unless you consider a scenario with Apple needing to sell its "mothership" to any future potential corporation.

Google's office plan does seem a bit overly optimistic but clearly pitched in a way to win support of Mountain View. Right now I don't see anything in the blog post that speaks to engineers and managers who actually WANT to work in the buildings, so I hold judgement until they share more about that part.

Re: Rethinking office space

#37

Post by mbrzusto »

toast0 wrote: post #34
mbrzusto wrote: post #30

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.

There aren't any abandoned malls near the existing offices.

but there are all over the country. why not give people to option to live somewhere else?

Re: Rethinking office space

#38

Post by btian »

Fomite wrote: post #21
btian wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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)."

That's anecdote, not data. Having 10 examples doesn't validate your point.

And for the a16z stuff you quoted, the first paragraph says "10 ways to damage your fast-growing tech startup".

Thanks for classifying Google as a fast-growing tech startup, but I think the startup phase was over a long time ago.

Re: Rethinking office space

#39

Post by jarjoura »

mankyd wrote: post #26
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).

So you're saying if Google really wants happy employees they should open more offices in downtown SF? :)

Re: Rethinking office space

#40

Post by lfowles »

drewg123 wrote: post #5
UhUhUhUh wrote: post #4

I'd work in a filthy basement in the middle of Kansas for a company/project that’s worth it.

I work for Google in Mountain View, and I'd prefer to work in a filthy basement in Kansas. The commute would be better, and the cost of living lower...

Can confirm: It's certainly not a filthy basement, but it is in Kansas. Commute is great and CoL makes me wonder why anyone would want to live in SF/NYC :)
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