IwamotoScott's design scope includes several key aspects of the new mixed-use development by GROUP i / L37 at 950 Market Street in Downtown San Francisco, including: all interior architecture and design for the Serif 242 residential units, Serif common spaces and amenities including the residential lobby, elevator lobbies, corridors, mail room, gym and rooftop community clubhouse; the Serif residential exterior entrance canopies at Market Street and Turk Street; The Line Hotel exterior entrance canopy off the Turk Street plaza; and Penumbra, a public artwork canopy at the Line Hotel's beirgarden patio and entrance from Market Street.
Upon entry into the lobby from Market Street, a large commissioned wall artwork activates the space. The angular form and faceted facades of the new building's exterior, designed by Handel Architects, inform numerous aspects of our design for the interiors.
The through-block lobby cuts across the ground floor along an inflected path leading to the elevators, information screen/mirror wall and mail room, with a second entrance coming from a new urban plaza off Turk Street. The reception desk, package storage, ceiling and wall finishes are composed with a simple palette of wood paneling, blackened steel and concrete.
Within the corridors a series of dynamic, deep thresholds are formed by joining adjacent unit entries with angled inlays of contrasting carpeting and corresponding edge-lit wood ceiling canopies.Elevator lobbies at each floor feature a concrete tile pattern with highlighted relief, which varies at each of the building's twelve floors.
A simple material palette of plywood and painted steel, is complemented by a custom black steel unit number / doorbell housings. All residential units - large and small - feature the same careful attention to detail in lighting, kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, and finishes throughout. Kitchens are defined as an outer volume of light gray cabinetry and appliances, out of which is 'carved' a bright white counter space, back-painted glass backsplash and upper cabinets.
At the tip of the 'flatiron' shaped building, an open Kitchen/Living/Dining space takes advantage of the panoramic promontory overlooking Market Street offered by these two bedroom units.
The lower level fitness center is designed with custom lockers, equipment storage and gym lighting that references the buildings' honeycomb patterned faceted facade.
A combination solarium/clubhouse/library lounge/dining space offers a multi-purpose amenity at the rooftop. Custom steel and wood shelving, a kitchen/bar, and a porous steel screen wall activate one edge of the space. The other edge is a multi-slide glass wall, that opnes the space up the roof deck overlooking Market Street. The steel screen offers privacy to a semi-private dining space off to one side of the central kitchen. The steel screen also pivots to allow for flexible arrangement of different uses and events in the space.