The Grove

The Grove

View gives Netflix employees the best working environment, free of unwanted glare


  • Original two buildings experienced glare 27% of the day, and indirect glare almost all the time, due to the full glass facade.
  • Blackout shades were installed to address the glare, sacrificing the views of redwood trees and the Los Gatos mountains.
  • The next two identical buildings were constructed with View Smart Windows, providing unfettered views
  • Sand Hill saved $1M in shading costs.
  • State-of-the-art workplace aligns with the company's values and helps them attract and retain employees.
  • Delivers 24% annual energy savings
  • Location
    Los Gatos, CA
  • Developer
    Sand Hill Property Company
  • Equity Partner
    Carlyle Group
  • Architect
    Form 4 Architecture
  • Project Type
    New Construction
  • Project Specifications
    Two 4-story buildings; 260,000 sq. ft.

Sandhill Property Company and Carlyle Group worked closely with a leading online video technology company to deliver a four-building campus that enabled creativity and collaboration. The company needed to expand its offices in Los Gatos, CA in order to handle their fast-growing workforce, which has doubled in the past five years. The buildings are surrounded by redwood trees and overlook the Los Gatos Mountains, providing a scenic feeling despite the urban location. The interior features many flex spaces with whiteboards for brainstorming, glass-walled product testing rooms so employees can see the latest gadgets, and a modular workspace system that can easily be reconfigured.

However, after moving into the first phase of two buildings, employees struggled with glare on their computer screens. The buildings had direct glare 27% of daylight hours. Employees felt the space was still too bright even when there was no direct sun because of the floor to ceiling glass on all four sides. The original shades that let in 5% of outdoor light were insufficient, so they had to install 1% shades. The shades stayed down most the time, and employees were cut off from daylight and the scenic views.

The company was also unhappy about how the shading system impacted the building’s sleek design aesthetic. And when the shades were open in the evenings, nearby residents complained of light pollution.

When the time came to build the second phase, the media technology company, Sandhill and Carlyle decided to install View Smart Windows to address these issues. This decision saved Sandhill $1 million by eliminating the blinds. For occupants, View Smart Windows provide a more comfortable environment that mitigates glare, maximizes daylight, and reduces nighttime light pollution. Most importantly, this high-tech feature is a physical demonstration of the company’s values of curiosity and innovation, which helps them attract talent in the competitive Silicon Valley hiring market.

Founded in 1988, Sand Hill Property Company has developed several billion dollars worth of real estate projects and is now recognized as one of the most reputable and successful real estate investment and development companies in the Silicon Valley.