Three people in a communal space in a corporate office, with pink chairs, couch, whiteboard, and rows of computers. Three people in a communal space in a corporate office, with pink chairs, couch, whiteboard, and rows of computers.

Corporate Headquarters Designed by BCCI

2019 | SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES | WORKPLACE

Corporate Headquarters Designed by BCCI

This corporate client for BCCI places health and wellness at the heart of everything they do. The company recently updated three floors of the iconic Embarcadero Center on the San Francisco waterfront, making the location its new corporate headquarters. It was important for the space to care for their employees with the same dedication they show their clients.

Tarkett Human-Conscious Design™

In keeping with the company’s focus on human-centric design, BCCI design director Lisa Szmurlo and senior designer Megan Boesiger created a concept of Nature and Nurture. “The design intent was to build a nurturing office space with a focus on productivity,” they shared. “The client wanted the space to have more of a residential and hospitality feel, instead of a traditional corporate environment.” That concept aligns perfectly with Tarkett’s commitment to human-conscious design, which guides our product development process and helps us contribute to interior spaces that support, inspire and connect people. The texture, design and color of flooring material can influence the behavior of the people on it, subtly creating zones that support everything from quiet concentration to active collaboration

Converting to an Inclusive Floorplan

Embarcadero Center 1 in San Francisco is one of the largest mixed-use complexes in the Western United States, expanding across four buildings with luxury offices space, hundreds of shops, restaurants, services and a state-of-the-art multiplex cinema. Construction of the property began with Tower One in 1971, led by world-renowned architect John Portman as one of three developers. Portman spent half a century redefining urban landscapes throughout the United States with scores of hotel, office and retail complexes in economic centers like Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and more. The BCCI team faced a unique challenge in transitioning three floors of this architectural landmark into an open office that would align with their client’s corporate culture. In the final design, personal offices were converted to private spaces that would support the entire team, creating rooms for nursing mothers, daily meditation, and more focused work. “Organic elements blend with geometric shapes to create a dynamic, textured and well-rounded environment. Repetitive bold colors and dynamic design statements are interspersed throughout the three floors, not only to enhance the visual appeal of the client’s work environment but to unify and interconnect teams across the floors,” said Lisa.

Image Gallery

  • Office kitchen area with counter and sink, two women standing at island with fruit bowl Office kitchen area with counter and sink, two women standing at island with fruit bowl
  • Office dining area with two people sitting at long high top table and kitchen area with buffet and dishes and counter with sink and microwaves Office dining area with two people sitting at long high top table and kitchen area with buffet and dishes and counter with sink and microwaves
  • Office dining area with bench seating along wall of windows and tables in front of them with chairs on opposite side, two long tables in foreground with 10 chairs each, kitchen area in background Office dining area with bench seating along wall of windows and tables in front of them with chairs on opposite side, two long tables in foreground with 10 chairs each, kitchen area in background
  • Conference room with tablet mounted on glass wall outside of room, inside a white board on one wall, a large screen tv on the other, table with four chairs and an ottoman Conference room with tablet mounted on glass wall outside of room, inside a white board on one wall, a large screen tv on the other, table with four chairs and an ottoman
  • Corner office with windows on two walls and green wallpaper on a third, yellow chair and footstool and gray couch with throw pillows with round black coffee table in middle Corner office with windows on two walls and green wallpaper on a third, yellow chair and footstool and gray couch with throw pillows with round black coffee table in middle
  • Open meeting space in office hallway alcove with man by tv on wall and a small wood table and black chairs next to a tall wood table and chairs with a man and woman talking to the man by the tv Open meeting space in office hallway alcove with man by tv on wall and a small wood table and black chairs next to a tall wood table and chairs with a man and woman talking to the man by the tv
  • Man and woman sit across from each other at high top long wood table in open meeting space in office alcove Man and woman sit across from each other at high top long wood table in open meeting space in office alcove
  • Man sits at booth in carpeted office dining area looking at menu Man sits at booth in carpeted office dining area looking at menu
  • Woman sits on pink chair writing on notepad in corner office with windows and gray sectional couch, laptop on round low table in front of her Woman sits on pink chair writing on notepad in corner office with windows and gray sectional couch, laptop on round low table in front of her
  • Corner office with skyscraper outside windows, 4 chairs around a low round coffee table and a buffet to the side with canisters and mugs on a tray on top Corner office with skyscraper outside windows, 4 chairs around a low round coffee table and a buffet to the side with canisters and mugs on a tray on top
  • Corner of room with gray carpet, leaf-patterned wallpaper, a comfortable chair with throw pillow and blanket next to a round side table and a cabinet along the green back wall with a sink and a lamp Corner of room with gray carpet, leaf-patterned wallpaper, a comfortable chair with throw pillow and blanket next to a round side table and a cabinet along the green back wall with a sink and a lamp

Soft Surfaces

Most of the floor plan features Tarkett’s ethos® Modular with Omnicoat Technology®. With a Cradle to Cradle Silver certification and Eco-Ensure™ natural stain protection, ethos helps support the space’s Nature and Nurture design concept. Marled Tweed (Gris Tweed) 18” x 36” carpet tiles were the primary soft-surface pattern, installed in a vertical ashlar pattern. “The dynamic texture of this carpet felt less corporate and more residential to meet the client’s overall vision,” said Lisa. Marled Tweed bridges the gap between organic, handcrafted designs and more rigid geometric patterns. The result is a beautiful juxtaposition between light and shade that adds visual depth and sophistication to a space. In conference rooms, lounge areas and open collaboration areas, Elysian (Winter Flannel) 9” x 36” modular carpet planks were chosen, also in a vertical ashlar pattern. “The delicate, tailored stripe provided a perfect contrast to the textured main carpet tile to create a punch of intrigue and distinction upon entering ‘accessory’ areas.”

Resilient Surfaces

For the café and other areas where hard surface flooring was needed, the team chose Contour LVT in a Chenille pattern (Peppered). According to Megan, “The durability of the tile [which includes a 32 mil wear layer and Techtonic™ protection] was the primary deciding factor, but the small, delicate pattern added an element of interest across the vast expanse of the café floor.” More than ever, we need interior spaces to support us both as individuals and as communities. From softer architectural lines to more natural lighting, and feminine color palettes to cozy textures, the transformed space now welcomes staff and visitors with the luxuries of a modern hotel and the familiar warmth of home.

Styles Used in This Project

Office hallway with gray carpet, wood walls, interior glass doors on left, entry to a room with blue carpet on the right, glass doors leading outside at the end of the hall

Elysian

Powerbond® - Carpet/Resilient Hybrid / Carpet Tiles & Planks

Office with dark carpet a wood plank wall with a white board a wood table with black chairs and a tablet and glass door to more office space

Marled Tweed

Powerbond® - Carpet/Resilient Hybrid / Carpet Tiles & Planks

Solutions at Work Guide

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