How This San Francisco Office Design Puts the View First
The best offices don’t just function—they inspire. At One Market Square in San Francisco, Forge Architecture was asked to design a tenant improvement that transformed a full floor into a workplace defined by its setting. Their approach was intentional and restrained: let the Bay itself take the lead.
From the San Francisco Bay and Treasure Island to the Bay Bridge and Embarcadero, the views outside this office are extraordinary. Forge’s task was to design an interior that supported daily work without competing with one of the city’s greatest assets.
Project Overview
Location: One Market Square, San Francisco
Architect: Forge Architecture
General Contractor: MCS Construction Services
Tenant: Confidential client
Design Approach: Restraint Over Spectacle
Recent office designs often favor bright colors, bold graphics, and attention-grabbing amenities. Those choices can create energy, but in this case, Forge chose a different path.
A subdued palette keeps the focus outside the windows.
Warm wood flooring in the lobby adds a welcoming note.
Clean, timeless finishes avoid trends that date quickly.
It isn’t a lack of design—it’s design with discipline. The result is a space that feels calm, functional, and timeless, allowing the views to do the heavy lifting.
Maximizing the Views
The most impactful design move was Forge’s use of glass partitions that run the length of the floor plan. This extended daylight and panoramic views deep into the office. From nearly any point inside, employees can see beyond their desks to the Bay and bridge.
This strategy solved two challenges at once:
Equity of experience — the views are shared by everyone, not just those near the windows.
Light and openness — natural light filters through without interruption.
By holding back on spectacle, Forge made the surrounding city and waterfront the defining feature of the workplace.
Photographing the Space
For an architectural photographer, glass is both opportunity and challenge. It reflects everything—lights, furniture, even people—often competing with the design itself. During this shoot, we controlled reflections with large black flags, making the glass feel nearly invisible in the final images.
Timing also mattered. Foggy mornings are part of San Francisco, so we began with interior-facing images while waiting for skies to clear. By midday, the Bay and bridge opened up, letting us capture the views in their full clarity.
We also made the decision to include people in several frames. Rather than showing an empty office, these moments demonstrated how the space functions in real use—teams meeting in glass-walled rooms, individuals moving through light-filled corridors. The presence of people gave scale, authenticity, and life to the images, showing the office as it was meant to be experienced.
Why the Images Matter
For Forge and MCS Construction Services, this wasn’t only about creating a refined office. It was about capturing that achievement so it could continue working for them long after the build.
Professional photography from this project now supports:
Portfolio building: a clear example of view-first, restrained design.
Award submissions: visuals that communicate what words alone cannot.
Client proposals: proof of a thoughtful, people-centered approach.
Online presence: images that cut through and tell a story in seconds.
Even for the tenant, the photography has value. It helps showcase the workplace as a tool for recruiting, retaining talent, and communicating quality to stakeholders.
parting thoughts
The tenant improvement at One Market Square is proof that sometimes the strongest design decision is restraint. By prioritizing the Bay views over everything else, Forge Architecture created an office that feels timeless, inspiring, and unmistakably tied to its San Francisco setting.
As the photographer, my role was to ensure those choices were documented clearly—showing the light, the views, and the way people move through the space. The final images now serve as a lasting record, helping the firms involved share their work with future clients, awards juries, and the wider design community.
📌 If you’re planning a San Francisco office design or tenant improvement, your work deserves to be seen. Contact me or request a quote to discuss how architectural photography can help showcase your next project.
Key Takeaways: One Market Square Office Design
Restraint makes the view the star — subdued finishes allow the Bay, bridge, and Embarcadero to take center stage.
Glass partitions extend natural light and views deep into the office, so every employee shares in the setting.
Timeless design choices ensure the space feels relevant years from now, not tied to passing trends.
Thoughtful photography matters — controlling reflections, timing around fog, and including people helped show how the space truly works.
Images work long after the build — supporting portfolios, awards, client proposals, recruiting, and online presence.