One Thorndale Place
San Rafael, California
This 1,000 sf interior courtyard is part of an office renovation project for a software company in San Rafael, California. By using an uninterrupted field of decomposed granite paving and a warm color scheme on the courtyard walls, the design works to create a softer more outdoor feeling in the space. Custom stainless steel benches form a series of simple arcs within a grove of birch trees, for a variety of seating options and groupings. A simple fountain within a stainless steel basin provides a focal point and gentle white noise. A retractable skylight creates an even greater sense of the outdoors by allowing fresh air into the courtyard.