Google’s Innovative Workplace: The Spruce Goose Hangar

In 2015, Google signed a 60-year lease on the iconic Spruce Goose hangar located in the Playa Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles. The massive hangar, originally built by aviation pioneer Howard Hughes in 1943, served as the location for the construction and testing of the H-4 Hercules airplane, better known as the Spruce Goose, which was one of the largest aircraft ever built. Since then, Google has transformed the hangar into a state-of-the-art office space, complete with open-plan workstations, meeting rooms, and communal areas. The hangar’s expansive interior is now filled with natural light, thanks to the installation of skylights and the removal of the old airplane hangar doors. One of the most striking features of Google’s Spruce Goose office is the addition of two massive, four-story-tall steel staircases, which serve as the centerpiece of the space. These staircases provide easy access to all four levels of the building, and also serve as a gathering place for employees.