I Tube, You Tube, We Tube
APRIL 2011 FEATURE
By Miles Anderson, Joseph Blair, Matt Coopersmith, Tyler Baker-Williams, Caitlin Firmage, Michaela Firmage, Morgan Geneste, Pierce Freeman, Carolyn Hansen, Ella Hoberman, Scotty Jacobs, Brittany Rolstad and Talia Rizzo - from Branson, Del Mar Middle, Lycee Francais La Perouse, Marin Catholic, Mill Valley Middle, Redwood High, Sinalao Middle and Tam High Schools
YouTube is the company that began the web video revolution. Only five years after the startup was created, the site hosts several hundred million videos and has developed a following that is instrumental to its success, with over 2 billion views a day. After being granted an interview, we took a journey down to their San Bruno campus to see exactly what makes this company tick.
The building’s sleek appearance is almost as chic as the employees it houses, and the curved, exterior design is nearly as dynamic as the website contained within. Of course, this is YouTube™ headquarters in San Bruno, California.
The lobby alone is a spectacle, with an open air feeling created by an abundance of natural lighting, eight television screens streaming YouTube videos, a massage chair, and perhaps the most exciting feature of all, a tread wall (essentially a rock climbing wall that moves based on the climber’s weight distribution).
As is customary with many modern tech companies, secrecy is the norm. No photography or recording is permitted inside the building. Cell phones should be off and put away. We were excited to be in such an awesome company—a place that has so much creativity from all over the word was streaming in. After we were familiarized with the legal guidelines, we began our interview with some of the people at this company’s world-class facilities, led by Meredith, a YouTube advertising guru.
With skylights plentiful, and numerous indoor gardens, the workspace is inherently serene and tranquil. Additional perks are a snack bar and a self-serve frozen yogurt machine for those times when a burnt-out employee can only be cured by a sweet indulgence. As if the features of the building weren’t already exciting enough, Meredith showed us the YouTube gym, a Frisbee golf course, a basketball court, and a cafeteria that makes delicious, fresh food—we can speak from experience as we ate with them.