Eaton Workshop — San Francisco, California

Eaton Workshop San Francisco serves as a prime case study of urban public space that blends culture and commerce to form a new cosmopolitan ethos. The 11-story building is a collection of four volumes grouped to form a south-facing central lightwell that sits atop three levels below grade. Co-working space is located on levels 2-3 and hotel guest rooms are located on levels 4-11, with hotel amenities distributed on various floors.

The site sits at the junction of three distinct neighborhoods of San Francisco. Operating at the intersection between the tech industry, the arts, and global tourism, the hotel will serve as a social condenser and an open-ended collective space. The hotel will accommodate 175 guest rooms, 20,000 square feet of co-working office space, and 15,000 square feet of food and beverage facility. Through programming rooted in the local culture and arts, the hotel will serve as a scaffolding for a new cosmopolitan collectivity.

The design of a pre-cast façade incorporates ‘L shaped’ sections at various depths to create a dynamic, visually striking texture. The irregular placement of the sections produces a ‘wabi sabi’ aesthetic, characterized by imperfection and impermanence, which animates the building’s form when viewed from the street. This design not only captures the attention of passersby, but also connects the building to the historical character of Market Street with a contemporary distinction.