Founder’s Inc. by Studio BBA
Founder’s Inc. turns a San Francisco office inside Fort Mason into a working base for startup training and maker-driven exchange. Studio BBA, working in 2023, treats the National Historic Landmark with a light hand, keeping the vaulted top-floor volume open for public use while shaping rooms for research, recording, and hands-on fabrication.
About Founder’s Inc.
When the Founder’s Inc. founder first met the team, the answer to where to live and work could have been anywhere in the world. Instead, the choice lands on the water at Fort Mason in San Francisco, inside a National Historic Landmark that now serves as a cultural center and office home for nonprofit groups.
Although Founder’s Inc. is not a nonprofit, it shares a similar public mission. The tech incubator supports education and training through scholarships, mentorship, and a lecture series aimed at people launching hardware and product startups.
Studio BBA works with a careful touch, inserting new program into the historic building without overpowering it. The vaulted ceilings on the top floor suit public-facing use, but they also bring acoustic challenges that need to be addressed for everyday work and larger gatherings.
Working closely with Founder’s, the studio shapes the plan around how the incubator is likely to evolve. The result is intended to serve a small meeting as well as an event for 100 or more people, while keeping the environment comfortable and adaptable.
Makerspaces anchor the office. A machine shop and electronics shop support hands-on production, while a library gives people a quieter place for research. A podcast studio rounds out the mix, giving the incubator a set of rooms that support both concentrated work and public exchange.
Photography courtesy of Studio BBA
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