Artis Ventures

Project Highlights

• Our design partner had a very clear vision for this space. We supported it by sourcing furniture they had already selected, or where necessary offering alternates that fit into the design of the space.

• We co-designed, value-engineered, and coordinated the manufacturing of custom tables, sofas, and leather benches- all with power integrated.

• We helped incorporate unique furniture pieces from the founder’s personal collection, including protecting an antique credenza with a custom glass top.

Artis Ventures is a boutique venture capital and private equity firm that partners with companies working on scientific innovation tech, specifically at the intersection of computer and life science. When Artis Ventures moved to a new space in one of San Francisco’s oldest neighborhoods, the design of the space needed to reflect the boutique nature of the company as well as the rich history of the neighborhood. The final result is a warm, luxe space that feels more like a chic hotel bar than a sterile VC office.

We were brought onto the project by o+a, a Bay Area workplace design firm, and frequent collaborator on local projects. The team at o+a are architects, of course, but they are also branding and environmental graphics experts. They brought their refined expertise in capturing the essence of a company’s culture in this workplace design. o+a’s initial inspiration for this project was existing elements in the space, including exposed brick walls that had been weathered over time. They were literally looking to “archive the architecture” of the space. The corresponding furniture would need to complement these rich, warm textures and colors.

From the outset, o+a had a clear vision for the project, all the way down to individual specifications for side tables, benches, and chairs. We supported this vision by creating custom pieces and sourcing specified furniture items from their list. When a specified item did not meet a lead time or budget consideration or when overall design changes came up, we recommended and sourced alternate pieces that fit seamlessly into their design vision.

In line with the upscale hotel vibe of this space, o+a designed a custom U-shaped bench located in the middle of a wide hall. We sourced the saturated blue cantilevered laptop tables, which provide a pop of color and play off the curves present in many of the design elements, like the sofa itself and the wooden archway picture here.

Tucked into the left and right corners of this narrow room are custom benches that we co-designed with the architects and had fabricated by local furniture maker Martin Brattrud. The edges of these small sofas are curved to the exact radius of the curved wood-paneled wall, so they tuck perfectly into place in this intimate sunlight-filled lounge space intended for a quick meeting or call. The sofas are also equipped with integrated power outlets so users can easily charge their phones or plug in their laptops. The furniture in this space reflects the natural tones and curved lines of the architecture.

One of the principal workspaces at Artis Ventures is a large shared table that seats ten. This custom table was also designed in close collaboration with o+a, which we had manufactured by heirloom furniture maker Rust Belt Reclamation. The size and placement of this table were designed to match the measurements of the custom light fixture on the ceiling. The devil is in the details. 

One of the principal design challenges in developing this large work surface was power and data integration. There weren't going to be assigned desks at this office, and people needed to be able to easily sit down at any spot, plug in their devices and start working. First, the solution had to be elegant, which we achieved by creating simple flip-up access doors that were flush with the table. Second, the solution had to be easy to use but hard to mess up. We achieved this by creating layers of access so users can easily plug and play but can't get under the table or to larger access points and unplug everything.

For one of the office's two main conference rooms, we worked on another large table with the same integrated power access system as the main work table. This table was also designed and positioned to sit directly under another one-of-a-kind light fixture. We paired the table with classic Herman Miller chairs whose leather upholstery matches other leather pieces throughout the space.

Next to the window, we helped to design and manufacture another custom, power-enabled sofa.

Workplace clients often come with existing furniture leftover from a previous space. Many times these pieces are clunky, dated, and can be challenging to fit into a contemporary design.

Artis Ventures was different. Their founder and Managing Partner is a design and furniture enthusiast and has a personal collection of specialty pieces that he wanted to íntegrate into the space. This collection included two Eames lounge chairs that were placed in glass-enclosed phone rooms located at each end of the main hall. These collectible chairs did have their accompanying ottomans, so we sourced ottomans to go with these existing pieces.

One of Artis Ventures' founder's favorite furniture pieces is an antique Japanese credenza that was placed under the TV in the conference room just outside the main entrance and reception. This location puts it on display both for clients and employees working in the conference room, or anyone in the central “hearth” area of the office. We provided a custom cut glass top to protect this special piece.  

This second conference room also includes a custom Rust Belt Reclamation power-integrated table with a curved steel leg. It is also paired with Herman Miller chairs. At the end of the bar, we provided two high-top stools that, like all the carefully selected furniture, fit into the curved lines and natural tones of the space.