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Inside Google's Post-Pandemic Office Experiment

The tech giant is trying new designs out for when a number of Google employees move into a massive building being put together in Mountain View

NBC Universal, Inc.

Need a new wall? What if it was as quick as blowing up a balloon?

How about some privacy? What about a booth?

If the office needs a new kitchen, that can be done in minutes too.

It's all part of what may be the office of the future -- part pandemic-inspired, part Google trying stuff out.

Michelle Kaufman, director of what Google calls "built environment," gave NBC Bay Area an exclusive tour of several warehouses full of experiments aimed at figuring out the future of the workplace.

The tech giant is trying new designs out for when a number of Google employees move into a massive building being put together in Mountain View, but also keeping in mind that close to 20% of the company's workforce is likely to stay home.

"We're doing what we usually do, which is experimenting, piloting, prototyping, testing, getting feedback from Googlers," Kaufman said.

And those working from home will be very visible in the new office environment.

Google Workspace Vice President Javier Soltero works in an area that looks more like a spaceship than a conference room.

"It's an interesting moment for us as we continue to make progress towards a new state of affairs to see what role these technology products can play in helping us live better lives even after the pandemic," Soltero said.

And Google, because it has so much money, even built an entire campground near the construction site to test out cabana-like tents for those who want to work outdoors.

"Some of these ideas won't work, they're hypotheses, but then what we're building and creating is the future of work with Googlers," Kaufman said.

It's a future many other companies will be watching closely, too.

Google said the new building, complete with moveable desks and balloon walls is expected to open in 2023.

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