The Future is Bright.
The San Francisco Friends School opened its doors with a mission to foster academic excellence and educate children in Quaker values of social responsibility. So, it’s only fitting that when the school decided to expand into a larger space, it looked to reuse an existing structure instead of building from the ground up.
The school hired Pfau Long Architecture – a local firm with a commitment to sustainability – to remake the historic Levi Strauss & Co. factory into a center for learning. The firm won the business based on its innovative planning solutions, dedication to the more strictly green aspects of sustainability, and a hard-won spelling bee (just kidding on that last part, though the firm insists it would’ve been a fierce contender).
Given the school’s design-oriented curriculum and progressive educational philosophy, the architects wanted to provide a more inspired lighting scheme. ‘We tried to give them very energy-efficient lighting as well as a sense of drama,’ says Michael Webb of Revolver Design, the lighting design firm on the project.
Prudential Lighting fixtures effortlessly brought the designers’ vision to life. The fixtures were painted to complement the aesthetic of various spaces. Prudential’s classic P3930 luminaire was used to dramatic effect in the ground floor lobby as was the the company’s versatile Snap, with its new Round shape placed in the skylights of the large meeting room on the second floor.
While the children have made the space their own (cue band/orchestra, wall art and science projects), Pfau Long, Revolver and Prudential have created an efficient and amply lit building that has done its part in sustaining the heart of the school.
