November 29, 2016

Gensler’s Plans for Uber-Owned Uptown Station in Oakland

A rendering shows the paseo at the mixed-use development Uptown Station. Rendering courtesy of Steelblue/Gensler.

In 1929, H.C. Capwell’s department store brought newfound access and opportunity to Oakland, California. With much the same mission, Gensler set about transforming the beaux arts beauty into Uptown Station. The 375,000-square-foot mixed-use complex, developed by Lane Partners and later sold to Uber, was designed to engage pedestrians with a lively retail arcade while housing tech tenants above.
 

The central atrium. Rendering courtesy of Steelblue/Gensler.

Principal Peter Weingarten, senior associate Benjamin Parco, and architectural designer Seth Orgain conceived a plan to reveal original steel columns and preserve the terra-cotta exterior. Other proposed features included a 90-foot-high central atrium and a rooftop patio boasting 360-degree Bay Area views—a scheme that netted Gensler’s Design Excellence Award for an unbuilt space with a lifestyle-enhancing purpose.

Related:

Over and Above: Studio O+A Designs HQ for Uber

Uber Technologies by Assembly Design Studio: 2016 Best of Year Winner for Large Tech Office

> See more from the November 2016 issue of Interior Design

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