Project Name/Client: The Pyramid Center
Design Firm: Brereton Architects
Location: San Francisco, CA
Products: 3Square

What is Design?
Design is about being able to work within constraints and respecting the elements already in place, yet having the ability to create a new perspective.

How is Design best illustrated through the project?
Design is best illustrated in the seamless transition between the existing building lobby and the new management office. The office maintains the clean, modern aesthetic of the building’s main lobby, while maintaining its own warmth and appeal.

Biggest Design Challenge?
The biggest design challenge was creating a building management office that made reference to the building’s iconic stature as an architectural landmark. The TransAmerica Tower Lobby had been renovated several years earlier, resulting in a vast lobby that was bold, modern, yet somewhat austere. The design team’s goal was to have a common language between the lobby and the management office, while giving it a warmer, more inviting atmosphere. Another challenge was achieving a gracious interior in spite of its modest size and second floor location, which didn’t afford the grand views of the upper levels.

In order to create consistency, significant aspects of the lobby design were reintroduced into the management office, including stone flooring, wood panels, and soffit details. However, the design team was challenged by all the light finishes used in the lobby. Shaw’s 3-square carpet provided a means to anchor all the finishes, while maintaining a level of sophistication that is associated with the TransAmerica Tower.

What made it Innovative or Unique?
The client had difficulty visualizing the final outcome of the project. The design team accommodated this by presenting the finishes in a more loose, hands-on approach. Instead of finish boards, the finishes were brought out in large samples, laid out on the ground, and moved around according to the client’s preferences.

How did Design make a difference?
The result of the project far exceeded the client’s expectations, given the familiarity they had with a typical building management office. Previously, the management held corporate meetings in other locations, but now most meetings are held in the new office. In fact, the space was so well-received, that other members of their organization not located in San Francisco, regularly schedule time in the conference room. The client now uses their space not only as a work space, but also as a marketing tool for the building.

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