The Registry | September 12, 2023
The new headquarters for the American Institute of Architects San Francisco formally opened its doors on Friday. Located in the San Francisco’s historic Hallidie Building, the space will operate as both the AIASF’s headquarters and the Center for Architecture + Design, an architecture nonprofit dedicated to the Bay Area that also curates AIASF’s programming, public engagement initiatives, exhibitions, lectures and various other activities. According to a report from SFYIMBY, the new space is anticipated to host a wide array of lectures, events and film screenings.
AIASF initially unveiled plans for the new center in late 2020. Aidlin Darling Design, a San Francisco-based architecture firm, spearheaded the design, and BCCI Construction served as the general contractor for the project, which had an estimated cost of approximately $7.5 million. Features of the project include a concierge desk, storefront cafe area, lecture hall, gallery space and a meeting room, according to the report.The mezzanine level, encompassing 10,000 square feet, will be transformed into a new office area for AIASF.
According to the Center for Architecture + Design’s website, the new center was a collaborative effort, and leaders of the organization hope the space will “breathe new life into San Francisco’s downtown.”
Located at 130 Sutter St., the seven-story Hallidie Building is situated between Kearny and Montgomery streets. The seven-story structure at 130 Sutter Street was built in 1918 as an investment property for the University of California, according to The Registry’s previous reporting. For the Sutter Street facade, the original designer Willis Polk employed a steel grid filled with individual glass windows, overlaid with balconies framed by an Edwardian decoration of stamped metal. The finished effect was a shimmering wall of glass – now known as a curtain wall, a technique employed by thousands of modern structures today around the globe.
The structure was named for Andrew Hallidie, a university regent, prominent San Franciscan and inventor of the cable car. In 2013, the Hallidie Building underwent a restoration, and the facade’s structural and decorative elements were repainted with the university’s blue and gold colors as specified in the original design.
Work Design Magazine | February 20, 2025
Gensler infused functionality and flexibility in the mid-century modern design of Edelman‘s new Los Angeles office.
Edelman Los Angeles is a new destination for staff and clients that flexes between office functions, meetings, and industry events. Designed by Gensler, the uniquely planned space supports the choice and well-being of Edelman employees while building client relationships through a hybrid work and play environment that resembles a mid-century modern lounge more than a corporate office.
The firm’s strategic relocation to a new home in Hollywood positions them in the heart of the entertainment district, near clients and within walking distance to numerous amenities. Situated within the Columbia Square mixed-use development, the design of Edelman Los Angeles’ was inspired by the history of the campus, which was home to Hollywood’s first movie studio in the 1930s. Programmed with a “front of house” co-working café on the ground level and a “backstage” floor with a more traditional office layout, the design equally celebrates the most visible, high-traffic areas and those that are behind-the-scenes support.
The lively, ground level café was modeled around the idea of a social network in physical space, with elements designed-in to host influencer and creator communities with opportunities for in-house lifestyle content creation. Beyond co-working, the café is a space for gathering, with flexible features that allow the café setting to flip to host town hall meetings or large events. Prioritizing every inch for multiple functions, the terrazzo coffee counter easily converts to a bar and extra furniture can be stored within hidden closets. An terrace that leads into the café provides additional seating for work and events.
Upstairs, scaffolding-like trim around the conference room doorways references the iconic Hollywood sign visible out the windows. EDELMAN is spelled out in abstract letters backward, mimicking the sign’s construction from behind. Furnishings include an eclectic mix of new and reclaimed pieces, with warm lighting and walnut shelving enhancing the retro vibe. The project combines hospitality and workplace design thoughtfully, balancing the features and branding with the functionality of each floor.
Project Planning
Designing Edelman’s Los Angeles workplace on two floors was akin to designing two different projects. Working closely with local Edelman executives, the lower level was designed to be outward-facing, and draw in clients, many of which are influencers and figures in the entertainment industry, with informal meeting spaces and areas to shoot video and record podcasts. A stage, production space with a cyclorama, and a post-production editing suite are additional perks of the space that can be activated and enjoyed by visiting clients, talent, and production crews.
Upstairs, the workspace area was designed to fulfill all the needs of a modern media agency. There are free-address desks for hybrid staff to use daily, meeting rooms, a casual lounge area, and numerous single occupancy phone rooms—a necessity at the buzzing communications firm, providing a quiet space for calls with appropriate lighting and acoustics for video.
“Edelman Los Angeles speaks to the humanity of the firm. Staff can work fluidly throughout the day, moving from free address seating to the lower-level co-working café and its adjacent courtyard,” said Todd Heiser, Managing Director of Gensler Chicago.
“The new space expresses the future of media agencies by maximizing flexibility and creating distinctive spaces for different tasks and entertainment that clients can share in using and enjoying.”
Project Details
Los Angeles leadership requested that the design speak to the creative spirit of the agency and its clients, promote sustainability initiatives, and reference the area’s historic influence in film and the entertainment industry. Envisioned as a 1960s Hollywood lounge, the new furniture is mixed in with vintage pieces, including a boardroom table, chairs, and accessories, adding warmth and patina to the new workplace. The practice is in line with the companywide ESG strategy that frequently reuses and rehabilitates furniture.
Keeping the two floors and their varying functions in mind, the first-floor café is subtly branded, with Edelman appearing in neon script and an antique portrait of founder Daniel J. Edelman nodding to the PR giant. The firm’s official logo appears upstairs above the reception area with pops of blue interspersed, signaling the active media agency’s workplace floor.
“Each Edelman office around the world taps into its geography through its design, emphasizing the individuality of the locations that make up the global firm. No two offices look the same.” said Lena Kitson, Principal and Account Manager at Gensler. “We work closely with leadership to ensure functionality, flexibility, and the most sustainable design is successfully achieved, while infusing each space with brand presence and local flavor.”
Overall Project Results
This relocation allowed for more flexibility and openness in the workplace, but initially, there was some apprehension for staff who felt they were losing privacy and the ability to have personal space. Grappling with the challenge of how to allow for personalization without too much clutter, the design team created customized display bookshelves opposite of the desks for staff to add artwork, designed objects, and even record collections. This solution celebrates the individuals collectively in a visually organized way that was in line with the retro aesthetic of the space.
While the change from uniform setting with individually assigned desks to primarily free address seating was daunting for some employees, we hear nothing but positive feedback about the abundance of different settings for employees to choose to work from throughout their day. In giving up owned space, they gained a larger variety of settings to help support their work and neurological needs. Presence of different work mode settings, posture options, along with biophilic elements helps reinforce that this is an inclusive workplace for all.
Contributors
GC: Structure Tone (STO Building Group) and BCCI Construction
MEP Engineers: AMA Group
Furniture Dealer: Corporate Concepts
Lighting Designer: Reed Burkett Lighting Design (RBLD)
Signage vendor: Site Enhancement Services (SES)
A/V vendor: AVISPL
Design
Todd Heiser
Lena Kitson
Zak Helmick
Francia Flores
Michael Parlett
Yissa Renteria
Riley King
Photography
© Ryan Gobuty, Design by Gensler
Retrofit Magazine | September 5, 2023
The American Institute of Architects, San Francisco (AIASF) announces the official opening of the Center for Architecture + Design (the Center) on September 8, 2023, in conjunction with the 20th Anniversary of our Architecture + the City Festival.
The Center occupies the ground floor of the historic landmark Hallidie Building at 140 Sutter Street in the heart of downtown San Francisco. It contains a lecture hall, gallery, a storefront café space, meeting rooms, allowing for the expansion of events, exhibitions, speaker presentations, and film screenings. Système D by Cento Coffee will occupy the storefront café. The new Center will serve as a cultural hub for all things architecture and design; and a place for AEC professionals and the public to connect, learn, and collaborate to address the environmental and social challenges facing our city and region.
“The opening of the Center is a significant moment in the history of architecture in San Francisco. Finally, we have a place dedicated to helping our diverse city understand the importance of well-designed spaces and places,” said Charles Higueras, FAIA, Chair of the Board for the Center for Architecture + Design. “The Center’s emergence now plays a key role in engaging the public in creating a more enduring and vibrant city.”
The 10,000-square-foot facility will play host to design-forward conversations and its store-front presence will bring new life to San Francisco’s downtown streetscape. Designed by the award-winning architectural team at Aidlin Darling Design and realized by BCCI Construction, the new build-out demonstrates the organization’s inclusive, community-minded, and ambitious sustainability-oriented vision for the future of professional and public programming.
“By creating our new home in the Center for Architecture + Design, we can significantly expand educational offerings, making these activities more accessible to a broader and more diverse audience. As we build on the successes of our current programs, we will host workshops, social gatherings, tours, gallery talks, youth programs, and exhibitions in this innovative space,” notes Stacy Williams, AIASF Executive Director.
The new Center features a flexible lecture hall designed with advanced AV and acoustics for hosting significant events. Additionally, the Center will provide much-needed gallery spaces, a concierge desk, and expanded meeting rooms that allow concurrent gatherings and accommodate AIASF’s growing staff.
“Design is about community empowerment. By building the new Center for Architecture + Design, those curious about architecture, design, and the vitality of our built environment will have a new venue to learn and collaborate,” said Joshua Aidlin, FAIA, Founding Partner at Aidlin Darling Design. ”The Center is about bringing together people from different backgrounds in a physical space—a cultural destination for the community, where one can be inspired by the power of design.”
“AIA San Francisco is grateful to our membership for helping us secure the necessary funding for the construction loan to build our new home. AIASF applauds the continued generosity of the supporters of its ongoing “Shape Your City” capital campaign, which is dedicated to funding the operation of the new Center,” said Daniel Perez, AIA, President of the AIASF Board of Directors. “This initiative is made possible through the commitment of design, construction, and architectural firms, as well as numerous individuals”.
For a comprehensive list of the project team, collaborators, and in-kind donors, we invite you to visit AIASF’s capital campaign website.
by Emma Weckerling | Work Design Magazine
TEF Design transformed and expanded the Bay Area headquarters for a financial investment company.
Leveraging off the shelf products to create bespoke results, and detailed to prioritize light, materiality and craft, this tenant improvement by TEF Design transforms an existing 8,000-square-feet of built office space and adjacent 5,000-square-feet of vacant space into a single workplace, organized around distinct functional zones to meet the diverse needs of a private equity firm focused on hotel and restaurant investments.
The main entry was relocated to take advantage of San Francisco Bay views and to define a communal zone for gathering that consolidates reception, an art gallery wall, conference rooms, and casual seating areas well-suited for entertaining guests and clients. This central hub creates a link between the shared workspace zone and a private founder’s wing, defined by handcrafted vertical wood slat walls that provide privacy and transparency at the same time.
The flexible work zone features perimeter, glass-fronted private offices that define a promenade of open workspaces anchored by a low-walled beverage station, detailed in wood and custom metals, that provides a perch and informal touch-down space for morning huddles and “water cooler” chat. Between offices, a multipurpose collaboration area – marking the location of the previous suite entrance – borrows ample daylight from the atrium of the building corridor. Support spaces and administrative records at the far end of the work zone are hidden by a wood screen wall. Designed for flexibility and growth, the zone is wired and prepped to facilitate additional open desktops and future demising walls in each office.
On the opposite side of the communal hub, a private zone – designed to prioritize security and discretion – comprises an executive suite with separate entrance, restroom, and a breakroom / catering kitchen with views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
- Architecture and Interiors: TEF Design
- Contractor: BCCI Construction
- Millwork: Commercial Casework
- Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Engineers: Camissa + Wipf
- Lighting Design: Architecture + Light
- Acoustic Consulting: Arup
Construction Superintendent
BCCI Construction Company has recently completed the renovation of the historic 1907 Musto Building at 717 Battery St. in San Francisco, Calif. The 57,000-square-foot building, which is located near the northern edge of the North Beach neighborhood, has been converted into a private club.
The renovation of the existing three-story unreinforced masonry building — designed by early 20th-century architect William Mooser II — required a mandatory seismic upgrade and also included restoration work, basement expansion and the addition of a fourth floor penthouse to the L-shaped building, which for years featured a courtyard and entrance on Pacific Avenue. The new building extends the existing Battery Street façade, and a new façade on Pacific Street creates more of a presence. BCCI reused materials throughout the building, such as columns, beams and joists.
“The incorporation of a seismic strengthening system into the Musto Building’s historic fabric was a challenging process,” said BCCI Division Vice President Don Tiefenbrunn. “It required the complete excavation of the building’s footprint and foundation systems, meticulously removing, modifying and restoring visual elements to retain the original period structure…”
E.C. Gregg | US Builders Review
The advantages of WELLness in the home office
If BCCI Construction wants clients to know how the WELL Building Standard can improve a work environment, all the staff needs to do is give a tour of the headquarters. That’s because, a little more than a year ago, the company designed its new office in accordance with the standard.
“We really did create a showpiece with our new space,” says Michael Scribner, president and CEO of BCCI. “We host a lot of client meetings and functions with the real estate industry including architects, construction managers and real estate brokers so they can see and understand WELL and maybe consider it for their own clients and, in some cases, their own [office] spaces.”
BCCI moved into the new office suite in early summer of 2015, and it was the company’s sustainability team that influenced the firm to consider the WELL Building Standard.
How to build WELL
To earn WELL Certification for its new San Francisco office, BCCI followed guidelines designed to improve the health and comfort of the building occupants.
The requirements are organized into seven categories: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind. Similar to LEED certification (the most well-known green building certification system), a WELL space is ranked by the criteria it meets as well the number of additional features, known as optimizations. The number of optimizations dictate the ranking, for instance, BCCI’s office is targeting the silver designation. There are also gold and platinum certifications for the most stringent adherents.
Through a process called Performance Verification, the space is also reviewed by a WELL Assessor who tests that all requirements have been met.
BCCI began planning the new headquarters at the end of 2014 and started renovations in March 2015.The sustainability team at BCCI worked alongside the company’s architecture team to design an open office that makes use of large perimeter windows for plenty of natural light and great views of the adjacent Levi’s Plaza Park.
Focus rooms provide relative silence and the combined lounge and kitchen area has televisions, a pool table and guitars.
The building materials help minimize the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions, and, to further aid in air quality, specialized MERV 13 air filters are installed in the main mechanical units. Stations supplying filtered water are also placed throughout the office.
Since the company moved in 2015, Scribner says his employees are more connected than they were before. “Our leadership team, our project team and the rest of our departments are more engaged with each other,” says Scribner.
“The atmosphere is more conducive to how we work and how we want to operate in the future, not only because the environment is more pleasurable to work in, but because of the collaboration that is happening”
Michael Scribner, President and CEO, BCCI Construction
BCCI Construction was first established in 1986 as a commercial interior contractor based in San Francisco, California. In 2003, it expanded to do ground-up construction as well as structural and historic renovations.
The company typically works on commercial offices and multi-use projects for developers, tech companies, professional service firms, life science companies and education facilities.
In addition to typical contractor services, BCCI provides in-house services that include architecture, construction management, sustainability and permitting and entitlement. As a result, clients don’t hire multiple vendors to determine the best approach to a potential project.
“We have people that came from the real estate services side of the business that understand the client’s needs and how a developer or real estate broker might approach that side of the business to make the best choice,” says Scribner.
These services help BCCI maximize the real estate opportunities for its clients, such as introducing ways a project can become more sustainable.
“I think [WELL] really is the future of sustainability,” says Sustainability Manager, Kena David, who has been a part of the sustainability team for five years. “People are always the ones occupying the building and although LEED does an excellent job of conserving the energy and water while also lowering the overall carbon footprint of a building, it does not address the health and well-being of the people who will live and work in those buildings.”
WELLness from the ground-up
This approach to WELL is one of the reasons BCCI was enlisted to build the first ground-up WELL Core and Shell Compliant office building in California. The WELL Core and Shell Compliant certification is reserved for ground-up construction that only includes the building structure, envelope, vertical circulation and public spaces.
The property is a five-story, Class A office development in the South of Market neighborhood of San Francisco. The developer, Presidio Bay Ventures, viewed the WELL Building Standard as a way to differentiate the building from others in the area.
“We had an existing relationship with the developer, so when they were looking for a ground-up contractor we were a natural fit because of the depth of our sustainability services and their interest in pursuing WELL,” says David.
Because the property is surrounded by buildings on three sides, and in order to meet WELL Core and Shell Compliant standards, BCCI worked with the design team to add an entire side of windows as well as skylights to bring in as much natural light as possible.
The building also has bicycle storage, showers and changing rooms, a fifth floor terrace, and a 2,300-square-foot roof deck.
Both Scribner and David look forward to working on more WELL projects in the future.
“In the past two years, there has been so much interest and so much traction,” says David. “Our clients want to be on the cutting-edge of sustainability…They want to show that they care about their employees. They want to show their commitment to create a healthy workplace, and I think WELL is one of the best ways to demonstrate that to employees and to the marketplace.”
The WELL Building Standard emphasizes the importance of air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind within the workplace.
News Release | The Registry
San Francisco, United States – BCCI Construction Company (BCCI), the Bay Area’s premier commercial contractor, is pleased to announce that the recent build-out of its headquarters is the first-ever WELL v1Certified project in San Francisco. Awarded by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI™), WELL Certification has been bestowed on 31 projects worldwide. BCCI’s headquarters represents the 18th certified project in the United States, the 6th certified project in California and the first in San Francisco.
Designed to create an inviting and healthy work environment, BCCI’s innovative space supports project collaboration and organic interaction while also creating quiet spaces for focused work. By following the WELL Building Standard, which emphasizes the importance of air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind within the workplace, BCCI’s integrated design and construction team came up with a multitude of creative ways to reflect its company culture and passion for building while addressing WELL’s vital concepts.
“We are thrilled that BCCI has achieved WELL Certification for its San Francisco headquarters in an effort to improve the health and well-being of its employees,” said Rick Fedrizzi, chairman and CEO of IWBI™. “With each new WELL Certified building, we further our goal of showing the world how we can push building projects to new heights of sustainability.”
Inside the San Francisco headquarters, materials and furnishings with low-emitting volatile organic compounds were chosen to ensure healthy air for employees to breathe. Office walls and ceilings were removed to create an open environment with greater ceiling heights that introduce more light and connect workers to the natural environment. Sit-stand desks, ergonomic chairs and carpeting on the floor help create a comfortable work environment. The office also features private focus rooms, phone rooms, a wellness room, a lounge area and a patio to promote mental and emotional well-being.
“Innovative workplace design coupled with ‘tailored fun’ was the guiding focus behind the renovation,” says BCCI President and CEO Michael Scribner. “We approached the design with an eye toward creating a beautiful showcase for clients and a workspace for our team that they could be proud of walking into every day.”
Furthermore, to ensure that employee well-being was of utmost importance, BCCI integrated on demand filtered water stations in the kitchen to encourage employees to drink more water. Local organic fruits and vegetables are provided twice weekly to ensure nutritious foods are regularly available. In addition, the company’s wellness program further promotes a healthy lifestyle with employees incentivized to use public transit through BCCI’s commuter benefits program, or to bicycle to work and use the bicycle rack at the building entrance.
General Contractor: BCCI Construction Company
Architect: BCCI Construction Company
Structural Engineer: Partner Engineering and Science, Inc.
MEP Engineer: Amit Wadhwa & Associates
Commissioning: Glumac
Audio/Visual: Charles M. Salter Associates, Inc.
Lighting: Illuminate Lighting Design
Furniture: Two Furnish, Vanguard Concept Offices
The space emphasizes WELL’s vital concepts of air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind within the workplace.
David Malone | Building Design + Construction
The new build-out of the BCCI Construction Company’s headquarters in San Francisco, Calif., is the 31st WELL v1 Certified project in the world, the 18th certified project in the U.S., the sixth in California, and the first in San Francisco.
The headquarters space, which was designed and constructed by BCCI Construction Company, supports project collaboration and interaction while also incorporating quiet spaces for focused work…
Visionary builder aligns his values with his trade
Perspectives | Vistage
When Michael Scribner was a child, he took careful note of his father’s experiences in the construction business. “I watched my dad come up through the industry back in the ’70s when construction wasn’t the most professional business and just didn’t treat its people well,” he says. “Seeing that mentality, I always said, ‘When I own my own business, I want it to be different.’”
Not just different — better.
Beyond just building complex structures and stunning interiors, the president and CEO of BCCI Construction has made a conscious effort to exceed standard industry practices. Over the years, BCCI has become an industry leader in sustainable building practices, completing more than 60 LEED-certified projects and three WELL-certified projects, a building standard that takes into account the importance of air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind.
More than just treating employees well, Scribner has created a high-performing work environment, with BCCI ranked on the San Francisco Business Times list of Best Places to Work in the Bay Area.
And more than just building business success, Scribner is building connections in the community…