Pier One Corporate Office

Built in 1932, Pier 1 exemplifies the elegant utilitarianism of San Francisco’s waterfront architecture. Working with developer and future tenant, AMB Corporation, the design goal was to sensitively retrofit this historic resource for modern use as class-A office space, providing all architectural adaptations, tenant improvements and public trust improvements. Adding over an acre of waterfront access, the design acknowledges, accentuates and reinterprets the structure’s historic duality of public and private spaces.

To preserve the historic integrity of the pier, new exterior elements are limited and unobtrusive, while structural interventions echo the original spartan construction. Within the uniform building envelope, each tenant space reflects the identity of the occupant.

Other design requirements include the development of a public walkway around the entire pier. This required public access serves as fire egress and an opportunity to give the city a unique promenade.

An innovative radiant closed heating and cooling system using the latent energy of the San Francisco Bay, further modernizes the landmark building and supports a green and sustainable approach to design.