North Bayshore Master Plan

Our ambitious master plan for North Bayshore in Mountain View, California aims to reinvent a suburban office park into a dynamic mixed-use community for tech company Google, prioritising sustainability and affordable housing.

A shared community vision spanning 153 acres, our transformative master plan for North Bayshore promises to double the amount of affordable housing in the area while expanding on the district’s existing resources from its local businesses and cultural institutions to wildlife and native landscapes, connections to established neighbourhoods, and walking and cycling trails.

The plan includes workplaces, retail and community facilities alongside a vibrant 525 room hotel, creating a bustling neighbourhood that thrives around the clock. 

Our concept doesn’t just focus on buildings; it envisions a place where people and nature coexist harmoniously. Over 26 acres of public parks and open spaces feature pedestrian and bicycle-friendly pathways, like the Green Loop in the Shorebird and Joaquin neighbourhoods. These spaces will provide areas for relaxation, art, events, and play, encouraging community engagement and a healthy lifestyle.

The North Bayshore master plan is grounded in Google’s longstanding commitment to building sustainability into everything it does. Highlights include 24/7 carbon-free energy, solar panels, and electric vehicle charging stations in all buildings. Our master plan also aims to use building methods that enable cross-laminated timber (CLT) construction, a sustainable choice of building material due to multiple factors, including its renewable nature and excellent thermal insulation properties.

The plan also addresses climate resilience, with strategies for carbon sequestration, flood risk management and the use of green infrastructure.

The project’s ecological vision extends to the expansion of an area for an egret rookery and the incorporation of bird-safe design in all new constructions. Additionally, traffic reduction measures such as bike share programs, extensive walking and cycling trails, and small blocks for easy navigation are key components of this forward-thinking development.

Client

Google/​Lendlease

Location

Mountain View, California, US

Status

Unbuilt

Year

2023

Collaborators

West 8

Design team

Richard Mullane, Martin Lee, Annie Ryan, Ben Golze, Ben Quint-Glick, Ieuan Hook, Andrew Hite, Ruchi Singhania, Luying Xu

The North Bayshore master plan is a bold move to reshape this part of Mountain View into a vibrant, connected, and sustainable community that places people and nature at its heart.

The sustainable goals for North Bayshore include:

  • 24/7 carbon-free energy and all-electric offices. Solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations in all buildings. 
  • Cross laminated timber construction — a sustainable choice of building material due to multiple factors, including its renewable nature and excellent thermal insulation properties.
  • Exploration of district-scale infrastructure to improve efficiency of material, energy and water uses through the deployment of innovative district systems such as a central utility plant providing heating, cooling and waste management.
  • Carbon sequestration and carbon reduction strategies.
  • Social value: Housing for a mix of income levels – affordable housing is integrated throughout the plan in proximity to everyday amenities, recreational and natural open space, all-ages bike and pedestrian infrastructure and public transit. 
  • A wide range of housing types from studios to three-bedroom apartments – recognising that a diversity of apartment types is essential to realising an inclusive neighbourhood.
  • Four acres of land dedicated to the City for public use.
  • Twenty-six acres of open public space.
  • Expanded area for egret rookery.
  • Bird-safe design for all new construction.
  • Traffic reduction through bike share programs, bike storage, space for car-share programs. 
  • 3.5 miles (over 5km) of new walking and cycling trails.

Hassell, West 8, Site Lab, Sera, SCB, Second Nature, HT Harvey & Associates, Fehr & Peers, Kier + Wright, Sherwood, Integral, Arup, Holmes, Allen Matkins, Coblentz, EPS

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