Founded in 1903, The Commonwealth Club provides national audiences with impartial programs on politics, economics, culture and the environment featuring world-renowned speakers with weekly national broadcasts in the longest running U.S. radio program. The Club’s first permanent home is centrally located to regional transit with iconic views along the Embarcadero.
The building is a designated City Landmark as the site of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) Union Hall and the location of the 1934 General Labor Strike - Bloody Thursday, where two protesters were shot by the police outside the ILA Hall. The historic Steuart Street façade (site of the shootings) has been preserved and a public display on ILW Labor History is available in the Club’s library.
The existing building structure and foundation were reused to preserve the embodied carbon of the historic building. The building was rehabilitated, seismically upgraded and a new floor added to accommodate auditoriums with state-of-the-art audio/broadcast system, meeting rooms, library, boardroom, roof terrace, catering facilities and offices. In keeping with the Club’s commitment to environmental stewardship, the headquarters optimizes energy and resource efficiency and is LEED gold certified. The original fir joists and beams were carefully removed and repurposed throughout the building as acoustical wood paneling and casework. High-performance envelope, glazing and lighting, external solar shading, natural and displacement ventilation reduce energy use. Systems and materials promote healthy indoor air quality by natural ventilation and low/no VOC materials. Reduced flow fixtures and high efficiency irrigation results in a 30% reduction in water use.
Material Used :
1. Tectura – Textured Granite concrete pavers, landscape planters
2. Tremco – 6100 hot fluid waterproofing
3. Fibtertite-XT-FB 60 mil PVC roofing
4. Aluminum-framed storefront and curtain wall w/ Viracon insulated glazing and Solarban 70XL coatings
5. Swiss Pearl GFRC custom-color panels
6. BMI 690 custom-color cement plaster
7. Arcadia T200 aluminum-framed, custom-color
8. 9Wood reclaimed Douglas Fir wall panels
9. Crossville Altered State porcelain tile
10. Eurospan fabric-wrapped acoustic ceiling panels
11. Stained European white oak stair
12. McNichols perforated metal wainscot w/ custom-color
13. Quiet Technology Systems acoustic wall panels w/ Design Tex fabric
14. painted gypsum board
15. Interface Vermont carpet tiles
16. Hunter Douglas Techstyle White swing-down acoustic ceiling
