Photo Credit: Joe Fletcher
In less than three years, Canopy has become the hottest co-working space in San Francisco. Canopy opened its first location on Fillmore Street in October of 2016 and followed with the second space last summer in Jackson Square. Now comes the news that the powerhouse team behind the office magic—Yves Behar, Amir Mortazavi, and Steve Mohebi—is opening a third Canopy this June.
Photo Credit: Canopy
Canopy Financial District will be on the corner of Kearny and Pine Streets in a five-story 10,000 square-foot building. Beautiful, thoughtful design is at the core of every Canopy space including the FiDi office. “Every space that we design for Canopy, it’s essential for us to think about the urban fabric that had existed before we were there,” Mortazavi told Haute Living via a telephone conversation. “How do we relate to the neighborhood? How do we relate to the adjacent businesses? And do so in a very thoughtful manner so that we can be plugged into these existing communities without feeling like a shiny new object that’s just arrived, and something that has these roots and history?”
Photo Credit: Devlin Shand for Drew Altizer Photography
The trio was inspired by the nearby skyline’s iconic buildings and the formations that certain angles create when they come together. These triangular shapes are repeated in patterns throughout Canopy. Each Canopy’s design is distinct, and for the Fidi, the color palette is inspired by where the fog meets the sea. “It’s these gray and blue-ish tones that are throughout the space and similar to our previous space it’s done in a de-saturated sort of manner,” Mortazavi says.
Photo Credit: Canopy
Canopy has partnered with Monocle Magazine to create a retail concept for the ground floor. The shop will also feature items that are produced by Canopy members, such as Year and Day’s tableware. Canopy Financial District will feature 32 private offices that vary in size, from one to ten people. Although there is no outdoor patio like Canopy Jackson Square, most offices have views of the park that is located across the street.
Photo Credit: CanopyIf you’re interested in setting up shop at its new location, you better get a move on it. Mortazavi says that existing members are expanding their businesses into Canopy Financial District. “Members see that Canopy has been able to create the best, most exceptional office spaces for their business needs,” Mortazavi explains. “It’s helped them retain talent. It’s helped them recruit talent. It also frees up a tremendous amount of time from the CEO to have to hire architects and designers and contractors to build out their spaces, as well as real estate brokers to go search for spaces.”
Photo Credit: Canopy
Letting current members move to the new Canopy is a part of the brand’s strategy. Growing Canopy slowly and organically from the inside is one of the reasons Canopy has been prosperous. “There is something to be said about starting small,” Mortazavi says. Canopy Fillmore started with 60 members. At Jackson Square, they grew to 300. “We learned from these core members that helped create Canopy, and that identify with it. So being small, and not growing for the sake of growing, without an understanding of who your customer base is, I think is one of the main reasons why we’re successful,” Mortazavi says.
Photo Credit: Joe Fletcher
Plus, the environment and product the team has created are unlike any other shared office in San Francisco. “We’re interested in creating the most exceptional places to work for accomplished professionals and aspirational entrepreneurs,” Mortazavi says. “Ones where you know you’re going to go to and not be distracted, but be inspired.”
