Let’s meet inside the Cable Car

Let’s meet inside the Cable Car

EMEA Engineering Hub

Google does not only impress with ground-breaking products, at its Zurich branch at the EMEA Engineering Hub the company itself proves to be just as creative.

The EMEA Engineering Hub in Zurich is, as a runner-up of the headquarters in Mountain View, California, the second-largest office of Google. Spread across eight floors, the “Zooglers”, as the Googlers in Zurich call themselves, have access to an inspiring work space. The design was made by Swiss architects Camenzind Evolution. It evolved from a close cooperation with the company and its employees.

Thinking of the Internetwithout Google is impossible. When you want to know something, you “google”. Other popular products are Google Chrome, Google Maps, Google Mail or the smart phone operating system Android. The Google Plus network is still being tested, however, it has more than 14 million users since its launch. Behind all this is US-based company Google, which now also has a branch in Zurich.

Inspiring Work Space

Numerous surveys and workshops with the employees served as a basis for the EMEA Engineering Hub, carried through by the Camenzind Evolution team of architects. The evaluations made the idea of an optimal work atmosphere grow: The rather neutrally held work places and the recreational areas with their versatile designs. The wish of the Zooglers for a multi-faceted and at the same time harmonious work climate finally made its way to realization.

Steering and playing in one Hand Movement

Creating a comfortable atmosphere at the workplace is part of Google’s company philosophy. An area-efficient work space is supposed to have a positive impact on the employees’ well-being, and cooperation is supposed to improve work quality. The office area of the EMEA Engineering Hub has over 800 workplaces. With an overall area of 12,000 m² each employer has an area of 15 m² for himself. The offices are separated into open-plan offices providing room for 6 – 10 Zooglers, and into smaller units with 4 – 6 work places.  Partition walls of glass create a more pleasant light and have a noise-absorbing effect at the same time.

The recreation rooms display more movement. Each hallway has its own color concept and has been provided with theme elements. E.g. pictures of water and snowy landscapes emphasize the design of the blue hallway. Inside the meeting rooms there is a relaxed atmosphere. At the same time, the interior design is supposed to stimulate the creative exchange of ideas within the teams. This is why the meeting rooms show factors such as activities, emotions and visions as the spatial concept. Team conferences inside an imitated igloo or in a reconstructed cable car are not rare at Google’s, new ideas may also develop during a game of billiards or tabletop soccer. “It is possible to steer and pass the puck in one hand movement”, the idea of the company.

Pleasures of the tongue are also taken care of at EMEA Engineering Hub. Milliway Cafeteria provides Zooglers with a free breakfast, lunch and supper, the gym can be used as well, just as yoga and pilates are supposed to motivate employees to stay in shape.

Project details

Architect:

camenzind evolution

Status:

Completed in March 2008

Size:

12,000 m²

Constructor:

Google Inc.

Comments

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billmarket17's picture
billmarket17 28. November 2014 - 19:45

A good interior designer is not so easy to find, he is well paid, thus, he remains at a certain company for many years. Meanwhile, make sure to clean the hotel and access a refrigerant buyback program if you have such appliances that need to be replaced. When the interior designer will arrive at your location, he should have a cleaned place to work with it and transform it into something modern and unique.

billmarket17's picture
billmarket17 9. December 2014 - 11:47

Such a beautiful property should be well protected. For sure, you have some security systems install in the house, but did you know that the most efficient way to protect your estate is to build a fence all around it and to install a strong gate, like one from Wrought Iron Gates in DFW?! You can connect the gate to a camera system and you are all set.

billmarket17's picture
billmarket17 19. December 2014 - 9:41

Anyone who is working in the second-largest office of Google must be very pleased. The office looks amazing and creates a friendly atmosphere, perfect if someone wants to work in unstressed environment. But, even so, this office must be supplied with everything an employee needs to work fast and without any delay, from Pitney Bowes supplies to simple pens and paper.

billmarket17's picture
billmarket17 13. January 2015 - 14:02

This building looks wonderful, everything seems to be new and modern, it is the perfect place to work! Everyone should renovate his house in this style and using professional renovation services, like this painting company from http://www.americanpaintinganddesign.com/ will ease the entire process.

billmarket17's picture
billmarket17 19. March 2015 - 14:44

It wasn't so easy to build this interesting office building. Some people who have worked in this industry for a long time believe that to build something unique can be a masterpiece. Having some experience in this department and knowing many things about it, including the best soldering tips, a constructor can build something great, which can last many years from now on.

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