STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS:

RESTAURANTS &
RETAIL
CONTENTS
PROFILE

RELEVANT PROJECTS

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
PROFILE
WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO

Being a partner in meeting your project goals is who we are.

Distilling client needs and requirements into functional, sus-

tainable, aesthetically pleasing and cost appropriate archi-
tecture and design is what we do.

FME Architecture + Design is a mid-sized, 30 year old San Francisco-based

architecture and interior design firm. We work in small teams on virtually any
type project with a staff well versed in designing new buildings, rehabilitating
existing buildings and providing architectural and design services for a wide
range of clients.

We advocate that the upfront investment in quality design services assures the
project’s intended goals are safeguarded, allowing us (as a team) to deliver cost-
effective use of your budget. This ensures that the cost of design is relevant to
your goals and in line with the realities of the project.
 SEPHORA

COST + QUALITY = VALUE

“I highly recommend working with FME Architecture + Design. For over 16 years we
worked together on Sephora’s office and retail projects. Additionally, FME completed
ten complex retail stores in cities around the United States as well as two airport
locations. They worked closely with Sephora’s in-house design group throughout
these projects. By communicating clearly and paying attention to details, they helped
ensure our programmatic requirements were successfully incorporated into a variety
of building types – everything from historic landmarks to suburban malls.”

Gayle Sherman
Former Senior VP of Property Development
Sephora
WINE
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

FME provided space planning and interior design of an 1,875 square

foot independently operated wine bar and specialty retail shop lo-
cated on the ground level of Embarcadero Center Two.
ABSINTHE RESTAURANT
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

As eclectic design, based loosely upon French Art Nouveau architec-

ture, is the home for Absinthe, a Hayes Valley bistro located in San
Francisco’s Civic Center district. The upscale eatery features a beauti-
fully crafted entry area and showcase bar that leads guests into the
main dining room. Booth style seating and private niches are created
to give both privacy and maximize seating capacity.

Experience of Principal Rick Strauss while at Strauss Architects.

SEPHORA
TIMES SQUARE
NEW YORK, NEW YORK

One of three stores FME completed in New York, the Times Square
store occupies a prime site on Broadway next to ABC Studios and is
one of the busiest stores within the Sephora chain. It has a main sales
floor as well as a lower level with back of house/storage/staff func-
tions and elevator access.
SEPHORA
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

Since the 10,000 square foot flagship store building previously housed a banking hall on the
second floor and mixed retail on the first floor, the new challenge was to knit together the
two disparate floors into a coherent whole. To this end, FME expanded the opening adja-
cent to the escalator and above introducing a glass bridge at the front of the store.

“I highly recommend working with FME Architecture + Design. For over 16 years we worked
together on Sephora’s office and retail projects. Additionally, FME completed ten complex retail
stores in cities around the United States as well as two airport locations. They worked closely with
Sephora’s in-house design group throughout these projects. By communicating clearly and paying
attention to details, they helped ensure our programmatic requirements were successfully incorpo-
rated into a variety of building types – everything from historic landmarks to suburban malls.”

Gayle Sherman
Former Senior VP of Property Development
Sephora
SEPHORA
SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

FME completed two Sephora stores within the new San Francisco
Airport International Terminal. We also served as Architect of Record
for all the retail spaces within the International Terminal.
WILKES BASHFORD
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

The original floor plan, a very narrow dark space with a centrally
located stairwell and elevator, only allowed for limited merchandise
use. The challenge to open the 4,000 square foot space and make it
lighter was achieved with light-colored wood finishes (figured maple)
on casework, extensive use of mirrors with custom-designed silver-
leaf frames and, most importantly, an elaborate lighting system.
WILKES BASHFORD
CARMEL, CALIFORNIA

FME designed a new 9,000 square foot, two level store. The interiors
feature refined lines of natural materials consisting of warm beige por-
celain tile at the entry with a textured carpet throughout, high ceilings
and lighting that showcases merchandise. Down and wall washing/
cove lighting was used throughout, as were mirrors as an element of
design to expand space and create vistas.
WILKES BASHFORD
STANFORD, CALIFORNIA

FME designed a 10,000 square foot store in a new stand-alone build-

ing located at the Stanford Shopping Center. The large floor plan in-
tegrates in-store boutiques for high-end fashion lines. A multi-layered
lighting system includes custom-designed illuminated columns. Display
walls along the windows have been lowered to create a clerestory
effect and increase the amount of natural light.
979 BROADWAY
MILLBRAE, CALIFORNIA

FME rehabilitated an existing 75,000 square foot office building back

to its original use as a retail center. We designed large ground level
openings, reconfigured and upgraded the common areas, and setback
a new retail storefront to create a pedestrian arcade. Work included
increasing the total parking count on the site by 50%. Additional
visual improvements included sheathing and coating the three promi-
nent building elevations in a bright palette of colors.
SHOPS AT YERBA BUENA
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

FME converted 26,000 square feet of street level parking garage space
to retail storefronts. The long solid line of the façade facing a narrow
strip of sidewalk made the former structure uninviting. Now a suc-
cession of curved glass walls creates multiple public spaces. Custom-
designed lighting and a trellis emphasize the new facade’s structure.
PRESIDIO SPORT & MEDICINE
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

To meet the needs of a growing sports medicine center, FME worked with Presidio Sport &
Medicine on an 8,000 square foot interior improvement project constructed in two phases
in a portion of the historic Gorgas medical warehouses. The character of the historic struc-
ture was preserved by keeping the space plan as open as practical and by creating modern
and flexible partition systems that take advantage of the vertical interior space. Addition-
ally, all new partitions were constructed independent of the existing timber structure. This
resulted in an energetic environment that relates well to the historic National Park setting.
“The minute you walk in the door, the atmosphere at Presidio Sport & Medicine seems to
encourage the healing of body and mind. Sunlight streams through windows and
skylights. A fresh breeze blows in off the bay. Structural elements of the
historic former warehouse complement modern and comfortable
spaces where patients undertake the work of recovery.”

The Presidio Trust

Annual Report
BRITEX FABRICS
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

BEFORE

This project entailed a seismic upgrade and interior improvements

to a 14,000 square foot historic unreinforced masonry building. The
added structural steel frames at the four retail levels were concealed
by new pilasters; these segment the long, narrow floor plates and
work to visually reduce the apparent length of the space. The interior
design of such elements as the cash wrap, entrances, stair and mill-
work were all designed with the store’s history and tradition in mind.
EMBARCADERO
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
CENTER

AFTER

FME provides ongoing strategic support for the Boston Properties

leasing and construction management teams during turn over of all
retail spaces in the Embarcadero Center.
 ADDITIONAL
SELECTED RETAIL PROJECTS
EXPERIENCE

SHOPS AT YERBA BUENA

The Athlete’s Foot,Various. Prototype development for national retail store chain; implementation in 27 stores at
various US locations

Bar Method, Embarcadero Center – San Francisco, CA. Space planning and interior design of a 3,640 square foot
fitness facility

DFS Master Concession Plan at the San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, CA. 30 duty-paid and duty-
free retail and restaurant concessions; approximately 54,000 square feet

Dover Square, Fairfield, CA. Planning and design of a commercial retail neighborhood center with a 50,000 square
foot market and 54,000 square feet of retail stores

Gateway Square, Hacienda Business Park – Pleasanton CA. Planning and design of 103,644 square foot commercial
retail center located on a 9.8-acre site

Hacienda Plaza, Hacienda Business Park – Pleasanton, CA. Mixed use 81,000 square foot office and retail project
with Spanish style clock tower located at the intersection of Stoneridge and Gibraltar Drive

Hacienda Motors Ltd., Hacienda Business Park – Pleasanton, CA. Mercedes-Benz dealership near the 580/680 free-
way interchange featuring a 28,000 square foot showroom and sales area, including 12 service bays, executive offices
and parking

Head Sportswear, San Francisco, CA. Joint venture with Any Mountain and Head to develop strong identity for Head
Company; a special active-wear mannequin was developed for window display

The Hound, San Francisco and San Jose, CA. Retail men’s wear stores; original store and branch for traditional men’s
wear, shoes and accessories
BRITEX FABRICS
Lora Piana, San Francisco, CA. Architects of record for Union Square Italian boutique

Marcus Fine Furs & Fashion, San Jose, CA. Space planning and interior design of a 4,000 square foot women’s store
located in Valley Fair Shopping Center

Montclair Retail Renovation, Oakland, CA. Remodel of an existing 20,000 square foot retail project in Montclair
Village

Smith & Hawken, Palo Alto, CA. Premier mail order garden tool company’s California retail outlet of 1,600 square
feet located at Stanford Shopping Mall

Spargo, Embarcadero Center – San Francisco, CA. Space planning and interior design of a 2,480 square foot full
service men’s salon located on the second level of Embarcadero Center One

Tennis Shack, San Francisco, CA. 1,000 square foot tennis and clothing store; services included pre-lease consulting
and graphic identity program

Walter Chase, San Francisco, CA. 4,000 square foot prototypical retail shoe store and offices; special free standing
display/storage elements were developed for the store and for projected boutiques within department stores

WINE, Embarcadero Center – San Francisco, CA. Space planning and interior design of an 1,875 square foot inde-
pendently operated wine bar and specialty retail shop located on the ground level of Embarcadero Center Two

3640 and 3650 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, CA. Restoration of three story, 20,000 square foot brick building
into mixed use, including retail, office and housing
 FME ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN

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