-By Jean Nayar, Photography by Bruce Damonte

project/client: Confidential Financial Client
location: San Francisco
designer: Gensler San Francisco

After the economic meltdown that touched virtually every corner of the world over the past year, the surviving players in the financial industry have begun to reinvent themselves to survive and flourish in the new global climate. And the design of a small office by Gensler for a financial start-up firm in San Francisco reflects a fresh point of view for a new era of investing.

"Our clients had a clear sense of the image they wanted to project," says Gensler design director Terry Walker. "They wanted a space that was light, bright, open, clear-cut, comfortable, and worthy of their clientele, but not ostentatious." Delivering on every count, the designers produced a crisp environment with a clean, no-fuss profile that's all about business—and light and views for all.

Located on the entire top floor of a brand new 34-story LEED-certified building designed by Kohn Pederson Fox and occupying about 12,750 sq. ft. of usable space, the office is divided into four suites of private offices for managing directors and directors and three work and teaming clusters dedicated to the different aspects of the client's business. With managing directors in glass-enclosed offices, analysts in workstations around the perimeter, and administrative support personnel located in workspaces just outside the enclosed offices, the entire staff has access to natural light and panoramic city and bay views visible through floor-to-ceiling windows all around. The reception area, boardroom, conference room, and small informal teaming areas were also positioned near windows, allowing everyone—employees and guests alike—the right to light and views at all times. Even in the long elevator hall that leads to the reception desk, a slot cut into the wall offers a surprise glimpse through the adjoining space to a window beyond.

Visually, the setting is sleek yet comfortable, "like a residential penthouse," says the designer. Though quiet and understated, finely finished, highly crafted materials and furnishings in a neutral palette define the space with a sense of quality. Aged European oak floors, for example, enrich public areas, including the lobby, reception area, boardroom, and coffer bar area. In enclosed offices and workstation areas, floors are topped with a sisal-like carpet, while worksurfaces are made of rift-cut oak and storage units are lacquered white. In the communal café and pantry area in the long hall bisecting the space through the core, on the other hand, a long coffee bar made of dark fumed oak plays off wall paneling and cabinetry in pale quartered olive ash. Thoughtful juxtapositions of materials like these and careful attention to detail throughout define a space that is at once of its time and timeless.

jury comment:
“A crisp, elegant solution that is likely to be perceived this way for years to come. The reflectivity of materials largely contributes to the overall lightness of space. The sculptural quality of portal, slot, and simple planes creates a space that is calm as well as intriguing.
There is great care involved in presenting the work, and that leads me to think that there is great care in making the work.”


who
Project: Confidential Financial Client. Client: Confidential. Design team: Gensler; Terry Walker, Chris Brown, Lisa Bottom, Steve Suzuki, Batya Aloush, Brenden Mandoza. Mechanical/electrical engineer: Flak & Kurtz. General contractor: Skyline Construction Inc. Lighting designer: Alfred Scholze. Furniture dealer: Sidemark. Photographer: Bruce Damonte.

what
Wallcoverings: KnollTextiles. Paint: Benjamin Moore. Laminate: Formica. Flooring: Hakwood Rustic. Carpet: Constantine. Carpet fiber: Ultron Nylon 6.6. Ceiling: Armstrong, Eurospan. Lighting: Mark Lighting. Pendant lighting: Clavius Collection. Doors: Custom. Door hardware: Rockwood. Glass feature wall: Skyline Design. Plumbing fixtures: Dornbracht. Window treatments: Building Standard Perforated Mini Blinds. Casegoods, workstations, conference tables: HBF. Task seating: Steelcase. Guest seating, informal meeting tables: Bernhardt. Lounge seating: Martin Brattrud. Other seating: Holly Hunt. Dining stools: Emeco Icon. Upholstery: Bernhardt, HBF, Nobilis. Coffee table: Ligne Roset. Files: Teknion. Architectural woodworking, cabinetmaking: Design Workshops. Specialty metals: DeVincenzi Architectural Products. Accessories: Saladino Table Lamp. Artwork: Dolby Chadwick Gallery.


where
Location: San Francisco, CA. Total floor area: 14,718 sq. ft. No. of floors: 1. Total staff size: 25. Cost/sq. ft.: Confidential.