Gradient Canopy

Exploring the “Gradient Canopy” with Joan.

A little after sunset, we headed toward a public plaza near the Googleplex, just off Shoreline Boulevard and Charleston Road in Mountain View, California. As the sun set, and daylight faded away, the space began to transform — walkways lit up, trees glowed, and strange structures revealed themselves. What’s usually a busy tech campus had turned calm and reflective.

Known as the “Gradient Canopy,” this area features six public art installations commissioned by Google and completed in 2022, according to the site’s official information board. Each sculpture is paired with a small hexagonal tile inviting viewers to engage — prompting you to move, pause, or reflect. Most of the pieces are lit from below, with an illuminated path connecting each of them, guiding visitors naturally through the space at night.

The installations in the order that we explored:
• “Orb” by Marc Fornes / THEVERYMANY – A dome-like structure made of curving, perforated aluminum strips that form a breathable, coral-like shell. Lit from below, it appears to “breathe” as shadows shift across its surface. Visitors can walk beneath it, where light and geometry create a calm, immersive experience.
• “Go” by Nancy Hou and Josh de Sousa – A grid of manually flippable discs, black on one side (charred cedar) and white on the other (engraved Corian), arranged like oversized Go game pieces. Each white face features a question — ranging from serious to fun — making the piece interactive and ever-changing.
• “Rock Spinner” by Zachary Coffin – A smooth sculptural boulder made of composite concrete, mounted on a pivot so it gently spins when pushed. Its quiet motion contrasts with its dense appearance, creating a sense of balance and subtle surprise.
• “Curious” by Mr & Mrs Ferguson Art – A full-sized bear made of thousands of copper pennies fixed to a steel frame. The surface shifts in tone under light and invites touch.
• “Quantum Meditation II” by Julian Voss Andreae – A seated female figure made from vertical stainless steel slats. Visible from the side, she nearly disappears from the front — a meditation on presence, perception, and impermanence inspired by quantum physics.
• “Halo” by SOFTlab – A circular canopy made of laser-cut stainless steel, internally lit with shifting LED colors. Surrounding visitors in light and motion.

I’v only caught a glimpse of “Orb” during the day once, driving past — even then, it stood out like an alien beacon in this corporate setting. But visiting at night revealed a layered experience. The sculptures seemed to emerge from the dark as we approached, their forms quietly lit from below, with illuminated walkways guiding us along. We moved slowly, letting the space unfold one piece at a time.

What made the experience more fascinating was how these pieces transformed the environment. What could’ve been just another public plaza became open and interactive. The art encouraged us to slow down and engage — to notice subtle changes in light, texture, and sound. Starting beneath the glow of “Orb”and ending under the patterned canopy of “Halo” made the walk feel complete.
If you’re in Mountain View after dark and want something different to explore, the Gradient Canopy offers a thoughtful, beautifully designed experience.

Side note: We parked along Space Park Way — just a short walk from the plaza. Interestingly, this spot is near where the historic Rengstorff House once stood before being relocated to Shoreline Park, not far from here. A quiet historic footnote just steps from a very modern experience.

#Google #GradientCanopy #MountainView #California