Trip to Google headquarters inspires high schoolers to visualize upcoming redesign of student space

Several Northport High School students and staff recently visited Google’s Manhattan headquarters to explore the dynamic workspaces and office layouts that have become synonymous with the tech giant’s innovative culture. The trip not only gave students insight into the work culture at Google, but inspiration for how they can create a similar environment in their own school. 

During the trip, students met with Google engineers working on the Google Classroom team to discuss how their office spaces contribute to a collaborative environment. From various seating arrangements to specific furniture styles, students will take what they saw and incorporate it into designs for the school’s small commons. 

There are plans to begin transforming the area, which currently houses lockers, into a comfortable and functional space for students this summer.

“One thing I took away from this experience was the balance between private and collaborative spaces,” said Lily Eagen, a junior. “I enjoyed that at Google, everyone had a choice on which space fit them for a particular date or time, which was really cool. I hope to incorporate this idea into the small commons in the future.”

Sophomore Satya Williams also enjoyed the collaborative spaces. “During my trip to Google, I was inspired by their emphasis on collaboration and personal creative workspaces for all,” she said. Williams’ goal would be to incorporate Google’s culture of continuous learning and creative problem-solving into the new small commons, fostering an environment that encourages kids to make meaningful connections and ideas. The space would also offer students a place to study, she said. 

As part of the renovation process, student leaders will work with art and technology teachers to create digital designs and space plans, which the district’s in-house buildings and grounds teams will use to complete the work. Some considerations that were noted during the trip included flexible furniture arrangements so that the space can be rearranged for different purposes as well as the incorporation of greenery or organic elements.

“Not only incorporating students into the design process but having them actually be the designers and developers will ensure that we are creating a space that directly addresses student needs,” said Northport High School Principal Rob Dennis. “Being able to see how these types of spaces are used outside of school can help students envision their usefulness and get their creative process started.”

In addition to taking inspiration from Google, students had the opportunity to provide feedback to a Google engineer on the Google Classroom experience. Their feedback may be used to make improvements to the platform in the future.

The district intends to start the small commons renovation this summer with hopes of completion in the fall.