Rockpoint

2024 San Francisco Design Week Honorable Mention

Real estate private equity firm Rockpoint believes everyone does their best work when together. With this as a guiding principle, they tasked FENNIE+MEHL with a total redesign of their office in San Francisco’s historic One Bush Plaza.

F+M began the design process with a signature Visioning Session to align all stakeholders. By gathering the Boston partners and the S.F. office executives and in-house construction managers in one room, F+M uncovered the history and culture of the business and explored how to leverage that understanding within the new design. The designers also learned that Rockpoint professionals focusing on asset investments would be working in the same space as professionals overseeing those properties at their affiliate Rockhill Management. The client wanted to integrate both groups to feel like a single organization.

Abundant natural light from the floor-to-ceiling perimeter windows inspired the design, which used transparency to create equality. The extensive interior glass throughout the 10,433 SF space allows natural light to reach those working in interior private offices and open workstations as equally as the executives in perimeter offices. By removing solid interior walls and bringing in more glass, F+M opened up and visually connected the reception, boardroom, lounge and kitchen spaces.

Rockpoint’s culture is highly collegial. A centralized break area acts as both kitchen and gathering place for meeting and socializing. The open lounge with its curved banquette, reception waiting area, and private break-out niches in the open office provide many opportunities for informal connection. Dark metals and warm woods pair a natural palette with bold textures and shapes. Because the historic 1’x1’ acoustic ceiling tiles and troffer lights were not allowed to be removed, the designers used it as a launch point to shape the space plan around them. The contrasting reveal between exposed ceiling and seamless solid ceiling dramatically modernizes the space. F+M also designed accessories and decor throughout to support Rockpoint’s culture and compliment their existing art collection.

The new Rockpoint San Francisco office engages all levels of employees to thrive in a timeless design that prioritizes being in person together.

The Rockpoint team wanted our own office to reflect our approach of sourcing buildings and using innovative design to elevate portfolio spaces. The FENNIE+MEHL team really understood how our office design could reflect our culture and business focus.

Aric Shalev, Managing Member & Co-President

Photography: FENNIE+MEHL