Designing for Wellness

MSA has an extensive history of healthcare design working alongside clients like Sutter Health, UCSF, and Antioch Medical Center. Earlier this month, Tatiana Guimaraes, president of the AIA Academy of Architecture for Health, wrote an article for Healthcare Design Magazine. Guimaraes addresses the shift in healthcare that is causing institutions to rethink their operations and how they engage with surrounding communities.  It used to be that healthcare campuses were designed inward, paying close attention to how on-site movement was managed, blocked from surroundings with barriers of parking. With the emergence of “health districts,” Guimareaes says the master planning of hospital campuses will start to look very different. She says we can envision commercial space, public space, and wellness programs connected through a campus that interacts with its surrounding community. You can find her article here and be sure to take a look at MSA’s healthcare projects to see how we’re evolving with healthcare campuses of the future.

The Science of Standing

MSA is constantly looking at ways to improve the workplace to better suit the needs and comfort of our clients. We do this by looking beyond current trends and implementing innovative solutions like active work stations. Eric Jaffe of CityLab recently wrote an article for Fast Company Design narrating analysis on the various physiological benefits of active workstations and how they sustain workflow and improve mood. If your office has been thinking about creating a more active environment, take a peek at Eric’s article and get in touch with us, our team of designers will help create a space that recognizes how your health is just as important as your brand. 

Source: http://www.fastcodesign.com/3045217/eviden...

We're now MSA architecture + design!

Architecture has always been the center of MSA’s design culture – it’s one of the things we do best. We have an extensive and impressive history of designing functional yet inspiring spaces, and we felt it was time our name reflected our culture. We’ll continue to provide more than just great design; our clients can still expect to find a partner with MSA, and a resource for the latest trends to create spaces that not only fulfill current needs, but are just as relevant and innovative as your brand.

Winner: Best Office Build-Out of 2015 Macys.com

On March 26th, MSA was awarded Best San Francisco Office Build-Out of 2015 for Macy’s.com at 680 Folsom. This project was a collaborative effort and we want to wish congratulations to all teams involved. The initial vision started with TMG Partners, Rockwood Capital, and the current building owner, Boston Properties. A project like 680 Folsom is dependent on funding and would not have been possible without the efforts of people like Chris Roeder of JLL and Dan Cressman of Newmark Cornish & Carey, who are constantly going the extra mile to close a deal in the best way possible. This collaboration achieved great potential by turning 680 Folsom, an obsolete and empty space, into one of the most contemporary buildings in San Francisco.

ULI Case Study: 680 Folsom Street - San Francisco

When TMG Partners and Rockwood Capital acquired the outdated 680 Folsom Street along with two adjacent buildings in the heart of downtown San Francisco in 2010, all these options were possible. In the end, they chose to redesign and reshape the outdated concrete-box 680 Folsom by replacing the core and building systems, adding horizontal and vertical space, and replacing the concrete facade with a new glass facade that completely revised the structure’s image. A new concrete core was added to optimize and seismically strengthen the structure, which now exceeds seismic code requirements.