A Former San Francisco Bank Building Gets Reborn as a Social Club

A deep-rooted counterculture ethos has colored San Francisco’s art and music scenes for decades, but the mindset also extended to more institutional realms, such as banking. “A.P. Giannini was known for making banking accessible to common folk, not just the rich or elite,” says designer Carlos Anthony Lopez, who recently completed an overhaul of Giannini’s former stomping ground: the Bank of Italy building in the city’s Financial District. 

On the historic 1908 building’s ground floor, private social club Amador recently opened The Bank at Amador, a day-to-night lounge open to the public in the mornings and club members during afternoons and evenings. Named for Giannini, whose nickname was “Amador,” the destination offers coffee and pastries from local bakery Maison Nico in the mornings before transitioning to specialty cocktails, a raw bar, and caviar cart in the evenings, when it comes alive with live music, DJs, and cultural events.  

Taking inspiration from the building’s heritage, as well as Giannini’s legendary democratic spirit, the glamorous new club was designed to welcome all. “The space speaks for itself—you walk in, and it’s super opulent,” says Lopez, who leads his creative agency Winston Studios out of Los Angeles. “My biggest inspiration was trying to bring in warmth and create a place for everybody—one that feels high-end but still attainable.” 

The 3,500-square-foot space is clad floor to ceiling in original Italian marble, a grandiose yet somewhat cold element which Lopez sought to offset with vibrant color and art. Furnishings and wall treatments in jewel-toned greens and blues, rich mustards and oxbloods, and bright pinks temper the austere architecture while lending punch. “My style is very eclectic,” admits Lopez of his approach. “I love mixing all different materials and colors to bring a space together.”  

Plush seating vignettes surround the monumental stone bar, which is anchored by the former bank’s original 15,000-pound vault door. Technicolor banquettes in sumptuous materials are executed in a medley of styles, from geometric Art Deco–inspired shapes to a streamlined Danish modern. Lopez conceived and crafted much of the built-in seating himself courtesy of his fabrication company The Project Assassin and incorporated an array of vintage pieces, much of which he reupholstered. “It gives a feeling like the place isn’t brand new,” he says. “It has an old-world sense of charm and familiarity, but also it’s playful.”  

This sense of whimsy springs fully to life in the art program, which includes several custom artworks hung in dense, salon-style arrangements. “I wanted pieces that felt vintage but remade in a more vibrant way,” Lopez explains. “I also wanted to mix different cultures and signifiers to make it feel like this is a place for everybody.” Looming large is an oversize mural portrait of A.P. Giannini given a Pop Art treatment by Igor Josifov, a longtime friend of Lopez. 

With artful flourishes and community-minded programming, the hope is that the Amador will help restore a sense of energy and enthusiasm in San Francisco’s downtown core. “There’s no magic wand that can trigger the revitalization of downtown,” says Jon D’Angelica, CEO of the Bank at Amador. “But everyone is interested in working together because we believe a rising tide will float all ships. The common thread that runs through all of us is our love for this city.”