Talk about extreme makeovers. Google's new office in Pittsburgh(Pennsylvania State, US) shines at the penthouse of a 100 year old biscuit factory in the city, thanks to architects from Strada. Assigned with the task of breathing Googleness into a space that had little to do with technology (or people for that matter), Strada conducted extensive research on how the average Googler perceives his office while coming up with the redesign. More on how they achieved this below:

The design of Google's Pittsburgh office resulted from a process that focused on clearly understanding and identifying the unique workplace culture and needs of the local Googlers (workers). A variety of data gathering tools from surveys and Quickfire interviews, to time-lapse photography and multiple Live-In sessions, or spending time observing, talking with, and listening to the Googler's in their existing office space, were utilized. This data was synthesized into an album that outlined the guiding principals for the design work that was about to begin. Placing the users and their culture at the forefront of the design process allowed everyone to identify what was most critical for creating a successful workplace. A few of the essential needs were: to create unique wow factors, sustain a close-knit 'family' environment, and incorporate quiet spaces that provide a place to simply get away from all the distractions that exist in an open office environment.

Here is a video walkthrough:(If you are reading this by email, visit here to view the video) Via