Google Retail Store - Charleston East | Mountain View, California | 2023

Architects: Aidlin Darling Design
Architects of Record: Adamson Associates Architects
Lead Architects: Joshua Aidlin and Kent Chiang
Design Team: Jeff Laboskey, Roslyn Cole, Andrew Minnich, and Melinda Turner
General Contractor: Devcon Construction, Inc.
Client: Google Inc.
Photographers: Adam Rouse and Mark Wickens

Located in the newly constructed Google Headquarters Campus in Mountain View, California, this store is designed to educate the public about Google’s products, product design, and production methods by engaging the curiosity of the user.

The space was inspired by the contrast between the fluid forms of the northerly estuaries in the adjacent San Francisco Bay and the assemblage of man-made grids within the nearby urban fabric to the south. In the retail space, a sinuous, spine-like sculptural installation winds through the space, providing a 120-foot-long continuous interactive display for Google’s array of hardware offerings.

The spine itself serves as a cabinet of curiosities configured with rectangular vitrines containing products for interaction, drawers to discover, visual graphics and information to observe, and 3D interactive displays to heighten curiosity. With a focus on human physiology and interaction, the spine engages the user at multiple heights and scales.

The design is choreographed to accommodate these functions at various levels relative to the human body: the lower zone for storage, the mid zone for physical interaction, and the higher zone for visual information, with the top sculptural canopy enhancing fluidity while defining an occupied space for the customer.

A strategic kit of parts was created to realize the concept of the "Cabinet of Curiosities", designed to be economically feasible and allow Google to replace product and visual displays seasonally, both digital and printed. Despite the custom appearance, the spine is actually a constellation of repeated elements to fully realize its gesture.

The material palette of the space reinforces an ethos of visual and tactile warmth, approachability, and sensuality. The floor features locally sourced reclaimed Valley Oakwood, while the foreground element, the "Spine", is crafted from stained Oak wood to provide an organic complement to Google products and a sensory-rich engagement for users. Perimeter walls and tables of white-washed wood serve as a neutral backdrop, allowing the "Spine" to stand out. A tertiary element of dark patinated steel has been integrated into tables and portals, providing a crisp accent to the more tactile materials and forms.

Surrounding the central spine are several large-scale interactive screens, an open space with flexible seating for lectures and events, a collaborative "Here-to-Help" space with staff, and flexible shelving for grab-and-go items ready for purchase.

Using nature as inspiration, this retail space integrates organic and cellular forms to create a unique environment that inspires both the mind and body. The completed assembly of elements and spaces invites users to explore, create, and engage with technology in new and innovative ways.