Google's Head of R&D Platform for the Built Environment shares how he integrates data into his design process to create next-level spaces.
Great workplace design starts with great data. Guy Trerotola, Head of R&D Platform for the Built Environment at Google, integrates data into the design process to create next-level spaces.
“We are [designing] with data and financial responsibility. It's not just that we're inventing this great playground; we're actually saving the company money, improving morale, and becoming more productive,” Trerotola says.
Creating a built environment that accounts for the well-being of its occupants is a smart investment. It shows employees that the company has their mental and physical health in mind. “They’re more motivated and more emotionally invested in coming in. They actually become our own change agents,” he says.
For Trerotola, the real challenge isn’t in creating an exceptional space. It’s designing these high-performing environments at scale. To do this, he’s developed what he calls a “LEGO kit” approach that focuses on repeatability. Keeping repeatability in mind during the design phase ensures faster, less expensive builds.
Google is a well-known innovator across multiple industries, and companies worldwide look to it for inspiration. Within the realm of real estate and workplace design, Trerotola makes the takeaways clear:
- Design around data, not assumptions
- Prioritize occupants’ physical and mental well-being
- Create repeatable designs to build offices quickly at scale