8VC
FENNIE+MEHL Architects
San Francisco’s piers were at the heart the city’s original development as a port city. Venture capital firm 8VC fell for Pier 5, a historic pier on the Embarcadero waterfront. Although the 1916 structure had a well-preserved façade and beautiful views, the dilapidated interior was a dark, compartmentalized maze that didn’t do the existing pier structure justice.
The designers re-envisioned the space as a physical manifestation of 8VC’s mission to transform historically inefficient structures to work for the betterment of the 21st century. The space utilizes the best of the historical aspects of the interior while bringing new innovations in a seamless harmony in such a way that, at first glance, it is difficult to say where the “old” ends and the new “begins.”
The result is a one-of-a-kind workplace environment that contributes to the continued effort of redeveloping the local waterfront and maintaining relevancy in an increasingly global economy.