DLA Piper Gray Cary

DLA Piper formerly GrayCary, whose slogan is “Technology’s Legal Edge,” outlined a desire for an office environment to reflect their non-traditional corporate culture. The law firm represents emerging growth and high technology companies, with more than 450 attorneys practicing in Palo Alto, San Diego, San Francisco, Austin, Sacramento and Seattle. The San Francisco office of GrayCary leased 57,000 square feet on the eighth and ninth floors of 153 Townsend Street. The new office building has a warehouse, loft-like vernacular comprised of exposed concrete structure, with a state of the art under-floor mechanical and electrical distribution system. The large floor plate, with separate elevator and restroom cores, posed several design challenges. A circular reception “plaza” is located in the center of the floor plan to link these two core elements, acting as a pivotal circulation and security point into the practice groups. The “plaza” is balanced by a series of conference rooms radiating from the reception area to define the public spaces.