For the sixth annual AZ Awards, our intrepid jury narrowed the field from over 800 submissions, received from dozens of countries, to select just 48 finalists that stood above the rest. In addition to presenting the AZ Award winners, Azure recognized these projects, products and concepts with Awards of Merit.
Jump cuts between black and white are used to dramatic effect in the offices of this quirky San Francisco ad agency. The appeal of the stripped-back interior is more than just a colour scheme: architecture firm Gensler uncovered various dualities in the agency’s corporate DNA that underpin this language of stark contrasts. The white represents a blank canvas, with work zones for free-wheeling creativity; while the black evokes a business suit, with meeting areas for buttoned-down, client-facing activities. In case the palette made the company seem chromophobic, pink accents add a punch of branding. Ultimately, the interior is inspired by the people who inhabit it: a glimpse into the two hemispheres of an advertising professional’s brain.
Location: San Francisco, U.S.
Firm: Gensler, U.S.
Team: Collin Burry and Aishanie Marwah, with Sue Lee and Howard Yao
