SAN FRANCISCO, CA - How does one craft 3D space for a discipline that is resolutely two-dimensional? Collecting the raw material of this graphic design company -- literally the scraps off the studio floor -- and using them as surfaces that subdivide their new office, this scheme slows the obsolescence rate of print media with a series of archival walls.

The "cool Swiss" design ethic of the firm, mediated by NorCal lassitude, suggested materials that blend the sharp and the informal. A corridor lined with a full-height graphic curtain and walnut casework leads visitors right into the heart of the studio. 

Operable louvers provide privacy for executive offices, with slats that are updated with recent projects. Sliding overhead sunshades modulate natural light. Mill-finish steel flooring imparts sleekness, toned down by the factory marks and blemishes. Project was completed with Holt Hinshaw.