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How to Get to the Googleplex and Tour the Campus

Last Updated: August 23, 2023 Fact Checked

Getting to the Googleplex

Exploring google campus, touring with a google employee.

This article was reviewed by Seth Hall and by wikiHow staff writer, Ali Garbacz, B.A. . Seth T. Hall (ICF ACC, CLC, and MNLP) is a Certified Life Coach and Founder of Transformational Solutions, a Los Angeles-based life-coaching company that helps people achieve their toughest goals, find their own voice, and think outside the box. He has been a life coach for over 10 years, specializing in personal development, relationships, career and finance, and wellness. He has helped his clients break the negative cycles in their lives and replace them with a positive, proactive mindset. Seth believes that everyone has the potential to live a fulfilling and rewarding life, and works passionately to help them reach their full potential. With a deep understanding of how our minds work and the power of positive thinking, he encourages his clients to find their unique paths in life and find success on their own terms. He is a certified master practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, a featured co-author for WikiHow, and co-author of "The Mountain Method”, “The Happy Tiger”, and “The V.I.S.I.O.N.S. Program”. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 228,014 times.

Have you ever wanted to explore the place where all of the magic of Google happens? Well, if you happen to be in Silicon Valley, specifically Mountain View, you’ll be able to stop by the infamous Googleplex. While there are no official tours, visitors are more than welcome to walk around the outside of the Google campus. We’re here to give you all the insider information and tips about how to visit the headquarters of one of the world’s biggest tech companies. We’ve also got a lot of suggestions for fun things to do while you’re there, so keep reading!

Things You Should Know

• Get to the Googleplex (1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA) via car, bus, or train. Parking is free on the Google campus.
• Explore the outside of the Google campus on foot and look out for famous landmarks, like the giant T-rex statue named Stan.
• Ask a friend or acquaintance who works at Google to give you a tour of the inside of the office buildings.

• The Google campus is open for tourists to walk around 7 days a week. However, most office buildings are closed on weekends.
• To keep with the theme of your trip, use Google maps to plot out your journey efficiently.
• Google has 35 office and retail locations spread throughout the United States. Other U.S. cities that house Google offices include Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, New York, and Portland.

• Caltrain is a commuter rail service that operates within the San Francisco Bay Area region.
• If you take the Mountain View city buses, the nearest stop to the Googleplex is Charleston & Google. From there, it’s about a 0.2 mile (0.3 km) walk to Google HQ.
• If you’re taking the Caltrain, get off at the Mountain View Caltrain Station and transfer to Mountain View city bus #40. Take this bus to the Charleston & Google stop, then walk the 0.2 miles (0.3 km) to the Googleplex.
• A day pass for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority costs $7.50 while a one-way ticket costs $2.50 (for adults). [3] X Research source
• A day pass for the Caltrain costs $7.50 while a one-way ticket costs $3.75. [4] X Research source

• The parking lots are labeled A, B, C, D, and E.

• If you’re taking the bus and get off at Charleston & Google, you’ll be dropped off on the south end of the Google campus. Simply cross the street behind the bus stop to get to the Googleplex.

• There is no longer a Google Visitor Center for tourists to visit.
• Wear comfortable shoes to help you trek across the campus without hurting your feet.

• Make this the first stop on your Googleplex tour since it’s easy to access from the campus parking lots.
• In addition to the Google head office, Google Buildings 41, 42, and 43 are also in this cluster.
• There is also a volleyball court and a small green area near these buildings.

• If you’re lucky, you might see Stan wearing fun accessories, like pink flamingos.
• The giant T-Rex is also a nod to Silicon Graphics, a Hollywood effects company that worked on the huge dinosaurs that appear in the Jurassic Park movies. [10] X Research source

• You might also be able to see the Google Street View car. This is the car that drives around and takes pictures for the street view option on Google Maps. [12] X Research source

• If you do manage to score a tour, remain respectful and discreet as you tour the buildings. This is a workplace after all, and you wouldn’t want to disturb the hard-working people who are busy revolutionizing the tech industry.

• Green represents maximum healthiness.
• Yellow indicates food that features both healthy and unhealthy ingredients.
• Red signifies that the food is more decadent and not ideal for a healthy diet.

• These "nap pods" were created by a company called MetroNaps. [17] X Research source

• The Google Garden also has vast green spaces and meditation spots for Googlers to use freely.

Community Q&A

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• ↑ https://about.google/locations/?region=north-america
• ↑ https://chasethehorizon.co/blog/96/visiting-google-and-twitter-headquarters-in-san-francisco
• ↑ https://www.vta.org/go/fares
• ↑ https://www.caltrain.com/fares/farechart
• ↑ https://www.sanjose.org/listings/googleplex-android-statue-garden
• ↑ https://www.siliconvalleyguide.org/
• ↑ https://youtu.be/72zcF1sQWEY?t=65
• ↑ http://business.financialpost.com/business-insider/an-inside-look-at-googles-luxurious-googleplex-campus-in-california
• ↑ https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/07/what-googles-famous-cafeterias-can-teach-us-about-health/241876/
• ↑ https://youtu.be/Z-pT0XDYvDM?t=144
• ↑ https://metronaps.com/
• ↑ https://youtu.be/Z-pT0XDYvDM?t=213

About This Article

To visit Google headquarters, plan a trip to Mountain View, California, which is where the Googleplex is located. From there, you can explore the campus on foot and see some of the sights like the life-sized replica of a T-Rex skeleton. Check out the Visitor Center and the gift store for souvenirs, or grab a bite to eat at the Googleplex cafeteria. If you know someone who works at Google, ask them to give you a tour for greater access. For more information on how to visit Google headquarters and what you can do there, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Visit Googleplex: A Comprehensive Tour Of Google's Headquarters

Next time in Silicon Valley, consider visiting Googleplex - Google's massive headquarters.

Read update

More Information About Visiting Googleplex

If one is interested in the great modern tech companies of the world, then consider popping in and visiting their headquarters in Silicon Valley. Many of them are based in the Bay Area and some have visitor centers, while others are closed to the public. It is possible to walk around Google's headquarters and see how one of the largest and most innovative companies in the world plans its workspace. Many people would love to have a Googleplex tour and see a Google Visitor Center.

Google is a company that needs no introduction, its Google Maps are also some of the best in the world for navigating - regardless of the country one is in. Google tries to be an innovative and fun company that people would want to work for. While using Google Maps or other Google services, keep an eye out for Google's humorous Easter Eggs.

UPDATE: 2023/04/30 16:46 EST BY AARON SPRAY

Googleplex is one of the most notable complexes in Silicon Valley today. Googleplex is the dynamic headquarters of Google (Alphabet) and visiting facilities are subject to change. This article was updated and expanded with more information about visiting Googleplex and if there are any Googleplex tours or a Google Visitor Center to explore.

What To Know About Google's Headquarters - Googleplex

Googleplex is the name of Google's corporate headquarters and is located at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway in Mountain View, California. It is the home of the search giant's parent company, Alphabet Inc.

• Location: 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View
• Area: Spread Out Over 12 Acres
• Parent Company: Alphabet Inc.
• NYC Office: At 111 Eighth Avenue

At 2 million square feet of office space, Googleplex is Google's second-largest office space complex after its building at 111 Eighth Avenue in New York City.

The name of the headquarters takes its name from "Google" and "Complex" - i.e. a complex of buildings. It is also a reference to Google's name - "googolplex" impossibly high number large number 10(10100), or 10googol.

• "Googolplex": 10(10100), or 10googol

Googleplex is on the site that was previously used by Silicon Graphics (SGI) - some of their properties were purchased by Google in 2006 for $319 million.

Related: The Biggest Mistakes Tourists Make In New York City (And How To Avoid Them)

Facilities And Attractions At Googleplex

The complex is a sprawling one and covers a large area. The buildings are not high rise and are of relatively low height.

Inside can be trippy and the lobby boasts a piano and a projection of current live Google search queries. One can find a dinosaur skeleton there and a replica of SpaceShipOne. The purpose of the T-Rex skeleto n (with twirling flamingos) is a reminder to its employees (called Googlers) to stay relevant and not become dinosaurs.

Built with an eye to a more relaxed vision of workspace, Googleplex offers free laundry rooms, two small swimming pools, volleyball courts, and eighteen cafeterias.

• T-Rex Skeleton: On Display In Googleplex - The Main Building
• Cafeterias: Eighteen Cafeterias With Diverse Menus
• Employee Facilities: Include Access To Fitness Classes, Massages, A 24/7 Gym, An On-Site Doctor, Dry-Cleaning Facilities, Cafeterias

Around 3 miles or 5 kilometers away from the main Googleplex headquarters is another large campus called "The Quad". It is located in Mountain View at 399 N Whisman Road.

Related: 20 Surprising Things About Times Square Tourists Should Know

Visiting Google's Googleplex

"While visitors can visit the grounds, they are not permitted inside the buildings unless they are escorted by a Google employee. The company doesn’t run tours." CNBC

Unfortunately, the buildings are not open to the public. Visiting the complex, one will find it to be more of a campus than an office building. Google doesn't run tours as such.

To get from one side of the campus to the other, Google supplies its employees with free colorful “G Bikes.”

Attractions and Instagramming spots include a sculpture garden featuring various Android statues, one for each version of Android. The Android statues are all named after sweets and candies - there's a cupcake, donut, ice-cream sandwich, KitKat, gingerbread, and honeycomb.

• Android Statues: One Of The Main Instagramming Attractions at Googleplex

In 2018 Google was pushing forward with plans to expand and build massive new buildings that would include more than 10,000 square feet of publicly accessible areas. Those areas include retail space, cafes, or other amenities located in the middle of the building.

There was a retail store called Google Merchandise Store located at 1981 Landings Drive, but that closed. Instead, one can shop online .

Another Silicon Valley tech giant to visit is Apple's, Apple Park . While the main building and campus are closed to the public, they do have a visitor center with a cafe. There are not really any specific Googleplex tours, but if one would like a tour of Silicon Valley in general, there are options for that.

Silicon Valley: Self-Driven Audio Tour for Technology Lovers is a tour that enables one to discover the modern world's birthplace on a self-driven tour in Silicon Valley. One will see the headquarters of tech giants like Facebook and Amazon, and explore tech headquarters open to visitors, like Google’s Googleplex.

Are There Googleplex Tours & A Google Visitor Center?

Previously it was possible to explore the visitor center with an escort. People needed to contact the Google Public Affairs team in advance to arrange an escort, but Google seems to have discontinued that now.

The Google Visitor Center was a great way to learn about the history of Google and see some of its early products. The visitor center was set up more as a museum complete with a replica of the original Google search engine. The entrance ticket was $17.50 and offers a behind-the-scenes tour into some of the buildings of the complex - including Googleplex.

However, as of 2023, it seems that the Google Visitor Center is permanently closed and Googleplex tours are no longer offered.

Still, people can visit Googleplex and see the 100 buildings in its sprawling campus at Mountain View and Sunnyvale. Check out the Google Merchandise Store at 1674 N Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View, CA and buy shirts, hats, cups, and other Google, YouTube, and Android branded merchandise.

Visitors are still able to wander around the campus and see Stand the T-Rex, ride colorful bikes, etc. Take the time to snap some Instagram photos with the Android lawn statues. After visiting Silicon Valley, take the time to visit the iconic Golden Gate Bridge.

Next: 10 Destinations For All Of Us Obsessed With Technology (10 Where We Can Escape It)

Tour the new 'Google Visitor Experience' now open to public at Google HQ

G oogle has now opened a first-of-its-kind 10,000-square-foot visitor experience on their Mountain View campus that will allow the local community to experience Google like never before.

Google's campus was developed to re-envision the office experience for workers. And now, visitors can interact with the tech giant in a new way.

"We really wanted to make a space where we can be together," Google's Director of R+D for the Built Environment Michelle Kaufmann said. "Where it's the mixture of the people who work at Google as well as the people who are our neighbors and people who inspire us."

VIDEO: Bay Area high school grad rejected by 16 colleges hired by Google

The Google Visitor Experience is designed for the community to enjoy all Google has to offer.

We got the first look on a tour of the new area, beginning with the huddle space. Here you can network with others or take free workshops.

"The space you see over here is available for local guests and local communities," Google's Vice President of Workplace Programs Michiel Bakker said. "All kinds of organizations can book this space as well for local events."

MORE: Google 'committed' to massive multi-million dollar complex in San Jose as project is put on hold

After the event, you can stop by their cafe.

Google says it runs on coffee and now, you can sit down and enjoy a cup or a treat

"We have a variety of options that are designed to be very approachable," Google's Food Program Senior Director Matt Hood said. "Something that, if you come in and you're part of the community, this can become your local, everyday breakfast stop or you can meet friends here for lunch."

But perhaps the most important piece of the Google Visitor Experience is their first West Coast brick-and-mortar store.

In this room, you can learn to use and try out the latest Google products from the new phones to watches to earbuds.

MORE: Here's how Google says AI will change your search, email experience

"To have this place for people to explore and touch and feel all of our latest products is super exciting." Google's Vice President for Design, UX and Research for Hardware Ivy Ross said.

Ross had a large hand in creating everything in the experience. She says this new concept really sets this space apart from anything Google has done before.

"I think it will be an amazing experience for people to understand what Google makes," Ross said. "To be able to actually put things on your body, hold things in your hand, feel it and be able to get all your questions answered at the same time - I think it's a huge advantage."

You can see it for yourself as the Google Visitor Experience is now open.

Life at Google

Office spotlight: Chicago

May 17, 2022

[[read-time]] min read

“It almost feels like the first day back at school,” says Rob Biederman as he waits in line for breakfast at the Fulton Market cafe. It’s April 4, and Chicago Googlers like Rob have just started their first official week of hybrid work .

Opened in 2000 with only two employees, the Google Chicago office in the West Loop neighborhood has now grown to more than 1,800 employees across two buildings. In 2021 alone, more than 500 “Nooglers” — what we call new employees — joined the campus.

Chicago Googlers work on all kinds of products and teams. You’ll meet engineers designing Pixel devices and working on Search, Ads and Cloud projects; salespeople helping businesses across North America grow; and folks working across finance, human resources and product management. “It's amazing to now see all the different organizations and product areas represented in Chicago,” says Britton Picciolini, who was the office’s tenth hire in 2002. “It feels like such a great cross section of what we do at Google.”

Googlers Lauren Guzman, Daniel Muskovitz and Sonya Garg work from the rooftop of Google Chicago’s Fulton Market building.

That’s me, Amy (and my pups Hudson and Finn) celebrating #NationalLoveYourPetDay ! As a marketing manager for our Employment Brand team, you’ll find me leading projects for our social media channels — like taking photos of the Chicago campus and Googlers working remotely.

The Chicago office’s dedicated event space where Googlers can host meetings and events. It includes a 400-person theater and an outdoor mezzanine space.

Every Google office has its own distinctive decor, and the Chicago campus is no exception. As you explore the Fulton Market building, you’ll see painted murals from local graffiti artists on nearly every floor — including a special installation replicating a Chicago viaduct covered in street art. Meanwhile, in the Carpenter building, you’ll find (and smell) pizzas fresh out of the oven, an outdoor terrace with a firepit and a retro game room with a secret entrance — you’ll have to visit to find out where.

The 11th floor art installation is one of 16 murals across the Fulton Market building, all created by local street artists.

The six-story atrium in our Fulton Market building serves as the heart of the office and a way for Googlers to interact between floors.

Googlers Daniel Johnson, George Martin and Yaseline Muñoz have breakfast in the Fulton Market cafe during the first week of hybrid work.

The Carpenter building includes a coffee bar with great views — plus a golf simulator, game rooms and several outdoor terraces.

The Fulton Market rooftop features an ‘L’ train car with tables and chairs for Googlers to work on warmer days.

Whether at the office or at home, Googlers often connect through clubs, cultural celebrations and employee resource groups (ERGs). Google Chicago has more than 16 ERGs focused on personal and professional development. For example, the “Being a Mom @ Google Chicago” ERG launched Mom2Mom mentorship, a program that pairs experienced moms with new moms to help them ease back into work after maternity leave. Meanwhile, to celebrate Chicago’s vibrant music culture, the Chicago Culture Club runs an annual office-wide concert — including a virtual version in 2020 — featuring local musicians and DJs, plus great eats from local food vendors.

Chicago Googlers are also passionate about giving back to their communities. In 2018, we launched the Chicago Contribution Awards, an annual award recognizing outstanding contributions by Chicago Googlers to our office and the local community. In 2021, for Black History Month, the Chicago chapter of the Black Googler Network ERG spotlighted Black small business owners through a virtual storefront experience. And in 2022, our office partnered with Google.org to award a $1M grant to support job training on Chicago’s South and West sides.

The Asian Googler Network, an ERG focused on supporting the Asian community at Google, hosted a series of in-person and virtual events in May 2021 to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. In partnership with Google.org , the Chicago chapter donated $53,000 to local Asian-focused charities.

Googler Ross Bessinger shows off his DJ skills in a virtual office-wide musical event.

For the last 11 years, Chicago Googlers have partnered with local organizations to donate school supplies and winter holiday gifts, and raise funds towards essential household supplies for children and families in need across the city.

This is just a peek into the incredible culture at Google Chicago. I moved here in 2016 and can’t even count the number of people who welcomed me with open arms and encouraged me to get involved. Now, I participate in all types of ERG-led events and even write the office’s monthly newsletter to help others embrace all the possibilities that Google Chicago — and the community around us — has to offer.

Interested in learning about job opportunities at Google Chicago? Explore open roles on our Careers site .

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How to Get a Tour of Google Headquarters, Mountain View, California

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**Important note: I keep getting emails from people who think I’m a Google employee— I DO NOT work for Google, nor have I ever worked for

My friend was gracious enough to take some time out of his busy schedule to give a tour of the Google campus to me and my mom while she was in town. Now, please note that we had just gotten back from touring a castle in Napa Valley the day before, so our standards were pretty high. But because this is Google we’re talking about, we were absolutely blown away by the campus.

To give some background, I absolutely adore Google, its products and its culture. It used to be a dream of mine to work for the search engine giant, but I’m really enjoying working for myself , so now I’m content admiring from afar.

We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside the offices, but I did get some photos of the campus. Below are just some highlights of what we saw:

An in-office minibar and keg. Because why not?

My friend showed us his office, and we stopped on the way to his cubicle. He gestured to the right. “We have a minibar and keg,” he said casually and shrugged his arms. “Because, why not?”

Laundry service, oil changes, haircuts, and more…

There is really no reason to ever leave the Google campus.

All the free coffee and snacks you could ever want

We passed countless snack areas and baristas. My mom and I got free lattes to go before we left the campus.

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Google even has their own colony of bees from which they can harvest honey that is sometimes made available in their cafeterias. The place in which they keep their bees is named, of course, “ The Hiveplex .”

Google has a dog-friendly work environment.

Cots–ahem, Napping Pods

You have to reserve these. valium buy online xanax order

A ball pit (yes, like the ones kids play in at Chuck E. Cheese)

At least this one was adult-sized. And  yes, it took every ounce of my self-control to not dive into it.

Relaxation areas and massage rooms

With all their perks, I’m not sure what Googlers are so stressed about…

tramadols buy tramadols

Google bicycles (AKA G bikes)

If you live in Silicon Valley, you’ve probably seen the brightly-colored Google bikes at some point. Googlers are free to just grab one to ride to a different part of campus, and just leave it there for the next Googler to use.

Oh, and this happened…

On our way out of the cafeteria, my friend pointed out a funny-looking contraption with a steering wheel in the middle, and bicycle wheels encircling it.

“That’s the conference bike,” he explained. “One person steers, and everyone else pedals as you hold your meeting.”

I stared at the contraption.

“You have to reserve it,” he told me, as though he could read my mind and knew I was about to hop on it and take it for a spin.

Cafeterias with free food galore

Ah yes, the highest of highlights. My friend invited us to grab lunch with him at one of the many cafeterias on campus. I was overwhelmed by the options: salad bars, meat carving stations, pizzas, vegetarian options, desserts, and a coffee bar bombarded me.

A bowling alley, swimming pools, treadmills, dance studios

We walked through a flurry of activity during our tour. In one office, a woman was walking on a treadmill. Then we passed these two guys swimming in the Google lap pools:

There was also a dance studio that holds a variety of different dance classes for Googlers to sign up for.

Good-looking people

Perhaps in part due to the previous perk, Googlers are fit and gorgeous. I have no photographic proof of this. Just trust me.

Japanese space toilets

Apparently, while I was busy admiring the dance studio, I missed out on the crown jewel of the entire Googleplex: the bathrooms.

My mom had to tell me about the many wonders of the toilets. The seats are heated, and there is a control on the side that lets you…um, how to put this delicately…lets you wash your front or your back, bidet style , and it even lets you control the water pressure and temperature. And yes, my mom got pictures:

So, you wanna work at Google now?

Get in line. Google gets more than a million applicants a year .

But if all you really want is to see the campus, the public is welcome to walk around the outside and see things like the Android sculpture garden. There is plenty to see outside. 

For more travel tips and stories, explore the rest of The Wherever Writer ! 

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Visiting Googleplex - what's open to the public, what's it like?

Published on October 10, 2016

As some of you may be aware if you follow our sibling site, VR Source , our team was recently in San Jose for the Oculus Connect 3 developer conference.  I was the head orchestrator of said event and had a ton of fun. On the last day, with all my work caught up and the rest of team already flying back ahead of me, I had some spare time. Already in the area, naturally I decided to give the Googleplex a visit.

Because this was an impromptu visit on a late Friday afternoon on my part, I didn’t have an official Google escort during my time but that didn’t stop me from conducting a self-guided tour. So, what exactly is open to the public at the Googleplex and are there official public tours? Good question.

First, yes, anyone can visit Google – even if they have no industry contacts or friends that work there. The fairly massive campus is open to anyone who wants to wander around it, and I saw a number of apparent tourists snapping pics and looking around. That said, there are no official public tours and so visiting means that you will have to guide yourself around.

It’s important to note that pretty much all the buildings are a no-go unless you have a Google staffer showing you around, though you can step in a few lobbies. Talking with several Googlers, even with access there are only a few areas that are really that exciting, as anything really cool is obviously off limits to visitors even with an employee showing you around and mostly what you’re seeing are just office buildings.

So what can you see? You can walk around the entire campus, which is pretty big — like over a dozen acres big — and requires walking across a bridge and across the street if you want to cover the whole thing. From the side I started on, there were plenty of interesting things to check out including the new Android Nougat statue and a reproduction T-rex skeleton. I’ve been told they often change up the T-Rex scene, sometimes having him hanging out with (plastic) pink flamingos in the lawn, sometimes he’s mass attacked by them, etc.

You also see plenty of Googlers walking about, and considering I was visiting late – around 5PM – many of them were getting ready to head home. Another fun highlight were the Google-colored bicycles, which are used by Google employees to get around. Unfortunately, these bikes are reserved just for Googlers due to liability reasons and whatnot.

Walking around you’ll see plenty of sitting areas for working and conversing outdoors, as well as a couple of volleyball areas. It’s really a fun campus, and has a casual vibe to it.

Heading across the bridge and street, there’s a few other interesting things to check out. This includes the older Android statues in their own little spot. Next to these older statues is the Google Merchandise Store at 1981 Landings Drive.

This store is open to anyone and everyone and is filled with all sorts of goodies including Google apparel, Google-branded phone accessories like battery packs and wireless chargers, water bottles, pens, and the list goes on. It’s certainly a must visit place if you are on campus and I walked away with a few souvenirs for sure.

Now, in the past, that was pretty much all that was publicly open. I was told by a few Google employees that the new Google Visitor Center “Beta” is now open to the public as well, even without a Googler by your side (though I received a few conflicting reports on its public status) . If correct, this is a change from the past, where only guests that were accompanied by Googlers could get into the Visitor Center. Unfortunately, I was told the visitor center is only open until 5PM… which by this point it was going on close to 6PM. Maybe on my next visit? Fingers crossed.

After getting directions from some helpful folks, I also made my way over to a few things I missed. Namely, there is a cool sculpture garden with a number of stone busts showing important figures, and there is a garden area where food is grown that is actually used in the creation of food at the Google Cafe.

Were there other things publicly available to see that I missed? More than likely, but honestly even if I didn’t get to see everything during my time due to coming late (had too much OC3 work to catch up on), it was still quite the experience and I saw a lot.

For those who ever find themselves in the Bay area, I highly recommend giving the Google campus a tour. Also, if you visited many years ago, it might be worth re-visiting, as the site continues to change and more of it is becoming publicly accessible.

Anyone else visit the Googleplex in the past? What were some of the highlights of the experience? Let us know in the comments below.

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Restructure of finance teams will see some leave, and other roles created in mexico city, bangalore, and us cities.

Google is again firing the redundancy cannon for the second time this year, with a restructure being pushed through and teams in the finance and real estate units of the business understood to be impacted.

The headcount cuts are being reported as "pretty large-scale" with some roles being moved abroad, including to lower cost job locations – borrowing from the playbook used by many legacy tech services vendors. Numbers have not been confirmed.

Ruth Porat, CFO at Google parent Alphabet, told staff in a memo – seen by CNBC – that the plan is to create hubs to centralize ops for finance teams in Bangalore, Mexico City, Dublin, Chicago, and Atlanta.

"Over the past year, we have talked about creating hubs of Fin'ooglers around the world that are vibrant and have a strong culture," she states in the memo. "This strategy will help us be a more efficient organization and enables us to run 24 hours a day while respecting Fin'ooglers' worktimes."

"We are sad to say goodbye to some talented teammates and friends we care about, and we know this change is difficult."

Via the memo, Porat states that the tech industry is in the "midst of a tremendous platform shift with AI" and so putting more resources behind this makes sense to upper management at Google.

"As a company, this means we have the opportunity to make more helpful products for billions of users and provide faster solutions to our customers, but it also means we collectively have to make tough decisions, including how and where we work to align with our highest priority areas."

Google hasn't put a figure on the exact number of people who will be shown the exit door, but one thing is for sure: it won't be on the same scale as in 2023 when 12,000 heads rolled. The company employed 182,502 staff at the end of last year.

A spokesperson for Google told The Register via an emailed statement:

"As we've said, we're responsibly investing in our company's biggest priorities and the significant opportunities ahead. To best position us for these opportunities, throughout the second half of 2023 and into 2024, a number of our teams made changes to become more efficient and work better, remove layers and align their resources to their biggest product priorities.

"Through this, we're simplifying our structures to give employees more opportunity to work on our most innovative and important advances and our biggest company priorities, while reducing bureaucracy and layers."

In January, Google waved goodbye to 1,000 employees including team members operating in the core engineering group, the Google Assistant biz, Devices and Services, YouTube and even the advertising unit.

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai warned that more cost cutting was coming to free up cash for other priorities.

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Workers at Google aren't used to the events of the past 15 months: Google announced 12,000 redundancies in January , equating to six percent of the workforce. It hired more than 60,000 people during the early years of the pandemic and said the "business reality" no longer justified the headcount.

Google wasn't alone in making cuts after over-hiring, as Microsoft, Amazon, Meta and many others also initiated widespread redundancy programs. Some 263,000 + people lost their job in the tech industry last year. The pace of cuts has slowed, but this is scant consolation to anyone on the receiving end of notification of redundancy.

Alphabet reported net profit of $73.8 billion in calendar 2023, up from $59.96 billion in the prior year. Revenue grew nine percent to $307.39 billion. ®

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Google converted a 1930s train station into its New York HQ. Take a look.

• Google has unveiled its new headquarters in New York.
• The office, which is next to the Hudson River, features 1.5 acres of plants.
• The tech giant has doubled its New York headcount from 7,000 in 2018 to 14,000 in 2024.

Google opened the doors to its new headquarters in New York in February.

The structure was built on top of a three-story 1930s rail terminal, which used to be the end point of the High Line, a public park, Google said in a blog .

The tech giant said it has doubled its headcount in New York from 7,000 in 2018 to more than 14,000 — but the new office can seat about 3,000 people.

Situated right next to the Hudson River, it has 1.5 acres of plants on the street level of the building, as well as on its railway gardens and terraces.

"We've worked to make sure Google's New York offices enhance the communities where we operate instead of towering over them," Sean Downey, Google's president of Americas and global partners, said in a blog . He added, "One of the ways we do this is by adapting historic buildings to be reused for our offices, like Pier 57 and Chelsea Market."

The train station first opened in 1934 as the southern terminus for New York's West Side rail line (the High Line). Take a look at its new headquarters in New York called St. John's Terminal.

Google announced in 2021 that it would buy office spaces it already leases as part of its Google Hudson Square campus for $2.1 billion.

Google is planning to move out of its 52,000-square-foot office in Fremont, Seattle, this summer, The Puget Sound Business Journal reported. It has subleased the building from Tabeleau since 2017, the report said.

The new office overlooks the Hudson River.

Downey said in the blog that a portion that "loomed over Houston street" was removed, along with a dark tunnel. A connection between the Hudson Square neighborhood and the waterfront was restored.

Google said it will have a new shared "neighborhood seating model" in the NY office.

Teams will have assigned areas instead of employees having their own assigned desks, per the blog.

The 12-story building has solar panels on its roof.

It also makes use of wood reclaimed from the Coney Island boardwalk after Hurricane Sandy.

It has work lounges on every floor and break out spaces throughout the building.

There are also multiple cafes, terraces, and micro-kitchens for team "neighborhoods."

The space’s interior was designed by architecture firm Gensler.

Carlos Martínez Flórez, Gensler's co-managing director, told Fast Company, "Google didn't want it to feel like this is for us , they wanted to show that this building is part of New York."

He added, "The building was not designed as a fortress, that was important for Google."

There are also communal spaces where Googlers can work.

The building also has an events hub for Google's clients and partners.

There's plenty of room on the rooftop to work.

Google said it projects it will save about 78,400 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by building on the rail terminal, instead of creating a new structural foundation.

Google has more than 70 offices in 50 countries.

Thirty-six of the offices are based in the US, Google's website says . It has an on-site hotel at the Bay View campus in California for employees, which cost $99 a night in a promotion it ran last summer until September.

Google kept its signature quirky style for the new office.

The company is known to have some of the coolest offices around the world . Its corporate headquarters in Mountain View, California, called "Googleplex" has a 31,276 square-feet space called Salt. It's based on the history of salt production in the area as the old ghost town of Saline City and its salt marshes were a source of salt production dating back to 1854.

It has a history of erecting offices in unexpected buildings.

It's previously converted an old airplane hangar in LA and a former vodka factory in Warsaw, Poland, into offices.

On February 28, Axel Springer, Business Insider's parent company, joined 31 other media groups and filed a $2.3 billion suit against Google in Dutch court, alleging losses suffered due to the company's advertising practices.

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New ‘The Office’ Series Adds Sabrina Impacciatore, Domhnall Gleeson to Cast

By Joe Otterson

Joe Otterson

TV Reporter

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The new iteration of “ The Office ” currently in development has started to flesh out its cast.

Variety has confirmed with sources that Sabrina Impacciatore and Domhnall Gleeson are attached to the project, which remain in development at Universal Television. They would occupy two roles in what would be an ensemble cast, like the original versions of the show.

Reps for UTV declined to comment.

Greg Daniels and Michael Koman are co-creating the new series. It has previously been reported that it is not a reboot of “The Office” but is set in the same universe, meaning it would likely be set in a different office setting with all new characters.

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He is repped by Paradigm, The Agency and Goodman Genow

Impacciatore picked up an Emmy nomination for best supporting actress in a drama for her role in Season 2 of HBO’s critically acclaimed series “The White Lotus.” She is primarily known for her work in Italian films like “Napoleon and Me” and “Miss F,” though she did also appear in Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ.”

She is repped by Gersh, MGMT and Gianni Chiffi.

Daniels opened a writers’ room in January 2024 to begin working on the new iteration of the hit NBC mockumentary sitcom, which ran from 2005 to 2013 and was adapted from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s British series of the same name. The American “Office” took place in Scranton, Penn., and followed the staff of a paper company. It starred Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Ed Helms, Mindy Kaling and B.J. Novak, among others.

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