St. John’s Terminal

Google’s Global Business HQ

New York City

Client: Google

Studio: GHD Partners

Collaborators:
COOKFOX Architects
Gensler
Future Green Studio
DCL

Project Role:
Senior Designer, Experiential

Project Duration:
2020-2024

Google wanted an installation in the Great Hall that felt quintessentially New York and offered a moment of delight for employees and visitors. We created a suspended frieze using Google’s brand colors, signature shapes, and references to local textures like yellow subway dots, red fire hydrants, and NYC’s iconic green construction fencing.

The layered composition spells out the brand in abstract forms and reveals the letters “NYC” in negative space when viewed from a specific photo point. The result is both a visual landmark and a subtle tribute to the city.

I led the design of the exterior signage system and a custom frieze in the Great Hall lobby. Each element was designed to feel native, built into the rhythm, materials, and movement of the space.

The result is quiet, confident, and distinctly Google.

Where trains once ran, stories now unfold

Google’s brief was clear: bring their identity into a space with deep New York history. The building, once a freight terminal, had been transformed into a modern workplace with architectural presence.

I led the design of the exterior signage system and a custom frieze in the Great Hall lobby. Each element was designed to feel native, built into the rhythm, materials, and movement of the space. The result is quiet, confident, and distinctly Google.

The exterior signage system was designed to align with the building’s exposed I-beam structure, visible along the facade cut-through. The main Google logo was placed to appear floating within the frame of the former rail bed, working in tandem with the landscape team to create a planted backdrop that anchors the mark in a living green space. Navigation elements were kept minimal, reinforcing the architecture without distraction.

Google wanted an installation in the Great Hall that felt quintessentially New York and offered a moment of delight for employees and visitors. We created a suspended frieze using Google’s brand colors, signature shapes, and references to local textures like yellow subway dots, red fire hydrants, and NYC’s iconic green construction fencing.

The layered composition spells out the brand in abstract forms and reveals the letters “NYC” in negative space when viewed from a specific photo point. The result is both a visual landmark and a subtle tribute to the city.

The project was about designing with intention, not decoration. We collaborated across disciplines to create an experience that felt authentic to the space and the city. I led the creative development from concept through execution, ensuring the brand came through with clarity and restraint. The result is a cohesive environment that feels considered, grounded, and quietly memorable.

Project Credits

Client:
Google

Studio:
Completed while at GHD Partners

Collaborators:
COOKFOX Architects
Gensler
Future Green Studio
DCL

Project Role:
Senior Designer

Project Duration:
2020-2024

Photos courtesy of GHD Partners