375 University is a 13,300 SF renovation of the former home of Rapp’s Shoes in downtown Palo Alto, CA. To realize the owner’s vision of repurposing the building into a high-end, multi-tenant retail space with large, inviting storefronts and a clean and refined aesthetic, the building was completely gutted, and the front elevation removed. The architects and owner worked together to develop a simple but elegant material palette of steel, stone, and glass. The team selected warehouse-style windows and designed the building front with expressed steel beams and columns to create large, open, framed portals for future retailer storefronts. The interior was kept as a two-story volume to create an opportunity for dramatic and light filled commercial spaces. The project received the 2022 Award for Architectural Excellence for a Retail Façade Renovation from the City of Palo Alto Architectural Review Board.