An Ecologically Dynamic + Carbon Positive Campus
Mirroring the experience users find on YouTube’s platform, the campus is a place for people to connect with one another. In addition to planting 475 new native trees on campus, the outdoor landscape includes 2.8 acres of native planting areas, with a monarch focused garden; a pollinator garden, and other pollinator-supporting planting areas. Employees can enjoy a variety of outdoor courtyards, each of which has their own character and serve as a place to collaborate, recharge, dine, or gather. These courtyards feature tiered seating and site furniture that was recycled from the milling of large-bore eucalyptus trees harvested at the site.
Throughout the campus, planting layouts are grouped to maximize structural diversity per Google’s Habitat Design Guidelines to support local habitat. The woodland promotes biodiversity and provides habitat for mammals, insects, and birds. Planting palettes include California native species from the oak woodland, coastal scrub, and perennial grassland plant communities – all of which are adaptive to California’s drought conditions. The pollinator garden supports the health of butterflies and birds. The live oak grove preserves the existing mature oak trees into a center for relaxation and serenity and serves as the focal point of the sunlit amphitheater. The existing annual grassland roof continues to provide nature and helps divert up to 1.3M gallons of water per year through its 391,000-gallon rainwater cistern capture.
Based on the concept of a woodland, the campus landscape design is thoughtfully integrated with the building and supports social, physical, and personal wellbeing through the creation of outdoor spaces for work and social engagement. Whether holding meetings or taking a meditative walk, the YouTube community will always have nature and its benefits close at hand.
Image Credit: Jeremy Bittermann
