■ Project Details

2023

Client

buildspace
Founders Inc

Services

Creative Direction
Interior Design
Experiential Design
Lighting Design
Renders & PreVis

Software

Cinema 4D
Octane Render
AutoCAD
Figma
Notion

Tucked away in Fort Mason, San Francisco, is an anime inspired founder school.

Originally commissioned by Buildspace in 2023 (now a part of Founders Inc), my studio reimagined what a founder space could look like from conceptualization to executing on design, fabrication, and installation. Drawing inspiration from our mutual love of anime and Japan, we created an otherworldly space emphasizing human-centric design, function, ergonomics, productivity, marketability, and of course, fun.

■ Alleyway & Tea Lounge

The Alleyway and Tea Lounge areas fuse perspective mapped vinyl art, custom fabricated structures, and uniquely programmed lights that change depending on the time of day. My favorite hands-on project was transforming the @madebyroom meeting booths into ramen shops.

■ Creating the Alley

The life-size vinyl textures were created using a blend of 2D and 3D software. We recreated the booths (and irl lighting) in 3D and baked + exported the texture maps. The high res artwork files were then printed on high durability vinyl by our friends at Murals Your Way and then painstakingly hand-cut/placed in every nook and cranny of the booths to create the final look.

■ Workspace & Auditorium

The Workspace and Auditorium areas were designed to create open/social spaces that promote individual creativity, focus, and comfort. Brought to life by our interior design queen Isabella Orsi, the custom wood dividers feature corkboard for guests to pin their inspirations while the workspace draws on elements from the classic anime-style classroom. We’re ergonomic maximalists so we equipped the whole space with custom-designed desks and Herman Miller chairs.

■ The Details Matter

An epic project like this one also called for lots of detail oriented design and easter eggs. From repurposing found objects as decorative elements to custom branded moments, these photos share some of our favorite details from the campus.