The building owner at 1275 Mission sought us out for our experience working with numerous design-savvy tenants (including Clever HQ just down the block.) They trusted us to create an office interior with its own voice and presence, while leaving room for the future tenant’s personality and culture.

Part of this building’s history is somewhat of a mystery, with rumors of a speakeasy and other possibly dubious uses, which lent the project a level of fascination and intrigue. On the factual side, we do know that it served as various offices to support forms of technology (tools, sewing machines, early computers), so it seems fitting that a tech company might call it home.

All this mystery inspired us to reveal only selective glimpses of the building’s original brick, concrete and wood. Unexpected discoveries during construction were spontaneously kept to underscore this idea, including a ghosted imprint of the old roof stair in the open workstation area.

Black, white and gray surfaces add a sophisticated contrast to these exposed moments on the main and top floors, and provide a neutral backdrop for the new tenant’s brand palette. On the lower level we used a patterned layer of gray stucco to enliven the lounge area.

And the former basement access from the sidewalk, referred to by the client as the “speakeasy stair”? …that space has been preserved in a secret cabinet for the new tenants to ponder over during happy hour.