Creating images to help tell the story of MBH Architects‘ renovation of Oakland’s iconic Uptown Station was an inspiring deep-dive into history, design, and big chunky steel! In 1929, H. C. Capwell Company built this Beaux Arts beauty for its flagship department store. After taking damage during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the building endured a few decades of “meh.” Over the last 5 years, the team at MBH has worked to bring Uptown Station roaring back to life with beautiful retail on the street, gorgeous office spaces, rooftop gardens, and the stunning new six story atrium!
The Atrium, aka the “Jewel Box,” is a nexus of light, open space, and massive structural steel. MBH carved the 95 foot tall atrium and skylight out of the old department store interior concrete. To tell the story of how this remarkable space feels, we shot this space as if it were an exterior, by choosing our time of day for the best combination of interior and exterior light. Super challenging and great fun to shoot!
One of my favorite quiet moments of this shoot highlights the combination of old and new:
