In the heart of downtown Burlingame, among the main strip of upscale retail and dining, sits a unique trophy building that was originally a Montgomery Ward store built in 1920. The classic three-story building stands out with red brick exterior, white moldings and dormer windows. An investment banking firm chose to lease the 2nd floor and partial 3rd floor because their office lease in San Francisco was expiring and most of the partners were commuting from outer areas.

The client’s objective was to preserve the character of the building and consciously budget by maintaining much of the existing materials, focusing on providing a state-of-the-art office experience for themselves and their clients. Modern design elements are integrated to contrast classic building features and provide balance of old versus new.

The reception desk is built into a platform that surrounds an interconnecting stair. Above the stair, a stretched fabric light fixture illuminates the stair as a pseudo skylight. The building’s natural charm is celebrated throughout the space, expressed through new lighting grazing brick walls and up-lighting to highlight the warmth and character of the old wood beams. Columns and beams maintain their scuffs and markings, exposing the building’s adaptations throughout the years.

A unique four-walled glass conference room floats at the center of the main floor allowing daylight to filter to the other side of the floor plan. At the center of the room is a custom live-edge table with integrated technology. Glass walls throughout are acoustically sound using dual layer laminated glass. The conference room features a perforated metal ceiling plane that extends through the confines of the glass with a detailed knife-edge. The high-tech materiality of the glass box serves as the project’s most highlighted contrast to an otherwise classic building.

Photography: Emily Hagopian