Project Overview
Google is one of the globe’s most recognizable brands. Since the powerhouse technology company stormed onto the scene as a search engine provider in 1998, Google has increasingly become synonymous with “search” and is widely considered the go-to platform for finding information on seemingly any topic the mind can conceive. Despite its relatively short history of just under three decades in operation, Google is consistently ranked as one of the world’s top technology firms, with its parent company, Alphabet, holding a market cap of roughly $3.46 trillion. This valuation places Google on the same plane as Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon. Such a dramatic increase in size over the years has resulted in Google employing more than 180,000 team members today, leading to ever-increasing needs for office space and parking structures, particularly at the firm’s global headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. In 2018, Google’s R+D Lab began conceiving an idea for a new type of parking structure that would not only serve current needs but remain adaptable for an alternative future state. This solution, which would eventually become the Alta Garage in Mountain View, was made possible thanks to the combined efforts of architect International Parking Design, engineer Culp & Tanner, and precast concrete manufacturer Clark Pacific.
From Parking to People
From the outset of the project, the 1700-space Alta Garage was designed to transition from functioning as a parking facility to future commercial, residential, or community use, an approach brought to life via a structural system built entirely from precast concrete components, including long-span double tees, columns, spandrels, shear walls, and architectural wall panels. Alta Garage uses a precast concrete hybrid moment frame, which provides the seismic resilience necessary for the structure’s location while allowing for large, column-free spans.
The precast concrete frame was engineered to handle higher structural loads than a typical parking structure, aligning with office and residential code requirements and enabling the future installation of curtain walls, raised floors, or rooftop amenities. These enhanced load capacities and open floor plates are key to the building’s long-term versatility, which was achievable with the use of precast concrete. Instead of traditional sloped decks, Alta Garage features flat floor plates with integrated drainage, simplifying the eventual transition to occupiable space by eliminating the accessibility and structural challenges typically associated with converting sloped parking levels. Additionally, demountable vehicle ramps allow sections of the parking garage to be reconfigured as terraces, courtyards, or atriums—spaces that can maximize daylight and support ventilation in the facility’s potential future state.
“Precast concrete was chosen for Alta Garage to support Google’s vision for an adaptive-reuse strategy,” says Doug Bevier, P.E., director of development at Clark Pacific. “The structure is designed to function as a parking facility on day one, with the flexibility to be converted down the line. Precast offered the strength, precision, and versatility needed to meet both immediate and long-term performance goals.”
Beyond its structural achievements, Alta Garage is a shining example of integrated sustainability. The parking structure features more than 450 electric-vehicle-ready stalls, a 1-MW rooftop solar array, and embedded infrastructure for future autonomous vehicle support. Clark Pacific also deployed a special concrete throughout the project to reduce embodied carbon without compromising the building’s performance. Plus, the design of the parking structure itself was developed with sustainability in mind, as repurposing a structure consumes far fewer resources than constructing an entirely new facility. Even Alta Garage’s kinetic façade, which includes nearly 100,000 metallic tiles that “animate” the building throughout the day, was designed with reusability in mind. The façade can be fully disassembled and reapplied to future buildings as needed, reinforcing the project’s commitment to circular design philosophy.
As Bevier explains, Alta Garage exemplifies what’s possible when forward-thinking design, sustainability, and innovation converge.
“This facility provides essential infrastructure to support Google’s growing campus and the surrounding mixed-use development, improving access and mobility,” he says. “Its adaptive-reuse design ensures long-term value for the community, allowing the structure to evolve with changing needs.”
Mason Nichols is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based writer and editor who has covered the precast concrete industry since 2013. |