Branding and Way-finding Design for Google’s New Cloud Offices
The Brief:
As part of Google Cloud’s Eastern European expansion, Billion Studio was invited to collaborate on the interior design of a new flagship office. Google was keen to draw from the region’s rich history and culture and have it represented within the office space. After receiving a briefing, we identified the buildings many meeting rooms as a potential canvas for this story-telling. Collectively we shortlisted a number of historical reference points, cultural icons and folklore that could be use as a starting point and inspiration for the visual executions. In addition, Google also required us to develop a way-finding strategy and signage so that visitors and Googlers alike could find their way around the building efficiently. We also worked closely with the Google Cloud team to understand their vision for the office and to ensure that the designs met their needs.
The Approach:
It was agreed that each meeting room in the building would use a name that related to local history and culture and that each frosted privacy screen on the meeting rooms would display an illustration that was inspired by the room name. To create the graphic designs, we used a minimal and modern aesthetic. It’s simple line drawing style was used which allowed for plenty of privacy within the meeting rooms while also having a great deal of strength from the exterior. We created approximately 100 illustrations – some quirky, some fun, some complex and some simple. It was also important that the designs captured a ‘Googley’ feel, which is how the organisation describes an experience that is unique to Google. Each meeting room also has a door sign with the name of the room which also incorporates an explanation of the name and illustration.
The Solution:
The final designs were well received by the Google Cloud team and were successfully implemented in the new office. The result is an interesting visual journey – educating both visitors and Googler is like in the stories and culture of the region. The way-finding system and signage design was also well received and will continue to help visitors navigate the office and find their way to different areas. Overall, the project was a success and helped to create a visually appealing and functional office space for Google Cloud.
