"Panoramic views are a defining feature of the new headquarters of this well-established San Francisco investment firm. Situated on two floors at the top of the city’s growing skyline, sun and sky are set against a timeless palette of natural materials and sculptural furnishings.
The client sought an elegant workspace that would echo the firm’s ideals, while projecting a fresh image for the twenty-first century. Through the visioning process, the team shifted away from traditional workplace planning, following a more democratic ideal with employee circulation lining the unobstructed perimeter. Inboard of this circulation are private offices framed with low-iron glass, allowing them to share in the city sightlines while mitigating solar heat gain and glare on individual workstations.
Guests are welcomed through a lobby wrapped in a ribbon of custom white oak wood slats set against a Calacatta marble floor and reception desk. Hand-selected sculptural furniture and a sitting gallery of historical San Francisco maps, from the firm’s own collection, reflect the unique company legacy.
Bathed in light with floor to ceiling windows, the communal area is anchored with a custom serpentine shaped table clad in custom patinaed bronze and white caesarstone. The table adjusts for a multitude of configurations, uniquely catering to the needs of any philanthropic event. Adjacent is the main boardroom, finished in a slate grey palate, with a cascading glass wall for flexibility.
The firm’s two floors are joined by an interconnecting central stair joining the main lobby to the upper floor. Cascading white oak ribbon, constructed through a series of individual wood slats, completely conceals the structural elements, allowing the stair to visually ‘float’ between the lobby and upper floor. This space forms the lynch pin of the project - a primary point of circulation which fosters interaction amongst previously separated departments."