Pink stone and corrugated metal siding once wrapped the three-story commercial building now known as Building 49, in downtown Palo Alto, California, United States. Feldman Architecture removed both for a repeat client who wanted a boutique co-working space for peers in artificial intelligence and venture capital. The building had already housed a series of tech companies on one of the city’s busiest streets, but its offices were dim and closed off.

Throughout the redesign, the studio uses the contrast between dark and light finishes to tell people where they are. On the front facade, dark bronze panels run along the street level and give the entrance a clear marker, while brick replaces the pink stone above. The brick is concentrated on the most prominent portions of the elevation, and the stucco between them is left to recede. Bronze, brick, and stucco each hold a separate rank in that hierarchy, and the combination keeps the building in character with the rest of downtown.

Inside, the same logic splits the kitchenettes in two. A light-toned kitchenette sits in the lobby, where it serves arriving guests and keeps the entry open. A dark kitchenette sits within the open workspace and acts as its anchor. Its island has a double waterfall edge, so the countertop turns down at both ends and the piece reads as a solid block in the room.

The ground floor is organized for drop-in use. Floor-to-ceiling windows face the street and give passersby a view into the building. A large flex space takes up the center of the floor and works as a café-style setting for laptop work or as a venue for events and presentations. The second and third floors mix private offices, conference rooms, and open-plan areas, and long library-style tables on both levels put individual work and unscheduled meetings at the same surface.

Finishes stay within a narrow tonal range and rely on texture for variation. Hardwood floors are laid in a herringbone pattern, and custom decorative lighting adds a further layer of detail. Much of the furniture is either sourced locally or carries the Declare label, which requires manufacturers to disclose product ingredients. Furniture comes from Fyrn, Muuto, and Audo Copenhagen, decorative lighting from Bt-d, and finishes from Cle Tile, Hakwood, and Shinnoki.