An Office That Introduces the Firm Before Anyone Speaks
For Whale Rock's Boston headquarters expansion, Graham Schelter acted as owner's representative—identifying and onboarding the architect and guiding a 17,000-square-foot, Class A renovation from design through completion. Working directly with the founder and portfolio manager, he also directed the branding, artwork, artifacts, and awards that give the space its voice: historical data visualizations, commissioned art, and a curated sense of place that introduces the firm and its philosophy the moment someone walks in.
The result is a working environment built to do two things at once. The layout balances the team's need for collaboration and quiet focus—three light-filled conference rooms, a pantry, and a library create room for the discussion and debate central to the firm's culture, supporting a growing team. And the office itself functions as a branding asset with a simple goal: tell people who Whale Rock is. The design keeps one foot in the firm's history—its founders and influences—and one foot in the fast-moving global technology market it invests in.
Scope: architect selection and owner's-representative consulting; space planning, interior design, and furniture selection; design and production oversight of all signage, infographics, and timelines; procurement and installation of tech and harpoon artifacts, display shelving, and lighting; award-board design and production, including a privately commissioned traditional woodcarver and sign painter whose hand-carved, painted mahogany set the aesthetic for the millwork and conference tables; and art consulting, from selection and commissioned work to framing and gallery-style installation.
Credits: Creative Direction, Graham Schelter · Interior Design & Space Planning, Gensler Boston · Signage, Bluebird · A/V & Technology, Communications Design Associates · Photography, Inessa Binenbaum
"Our office is a way for us to showcase what we stand for. When companies, LPs, and potential hires come through, they get a sense of who we are. Graham and the team captured the mission and vision and embedded it in the office experience."
— Alex Sacerdote, Founder, Whale Rock Capital
The Boston office reception
The reception. Artwork is integrated into the architectural millwork alongside a collection of original and reproduction art, historical technology and whaling artifacts and books.
The White Whale Conference Room. The largest of three conference rooms, featuring custom awards, artwork, and infographics. (The others: Harpoon and Melville.)
Historic Tech S-Curves. A data visualization of U.S. technology adoption from the telephone to the smartphone. Plotted over time, the adoption of each innovation follows an S-Curve—the dynamic Everett Rogers first described in Diffusion of Innovations. Concept & Design: Graham Schelter & Alex Sacerdote · Data: Asymco and WRCM Research · Production: Gensler & Bluebird.
The kitchenette wall. Memorializes the firm's year-end holiday videos—including Old School, SeaBiscuit, Moby Dick, Everything is Awesome, The Muppets, and Hamilton.
The Bookscape. A privately commissioned artwork in the reception area featuring the founding team's favorite investment and technology books—many of which shaped the firm's philosophy and framework. Art Direction: Graham Schelter · Artist: Max-Steven Grossman.
Tech artifacts. A curated reception display: Motorola DynaTAC, RIM BlackBerry, iPod, original iPhone, original Macintosh, and Atari 2600.
The award boards. Hand-carved, stained, and painted mahogany with gold leaf (50" × 30"). The White Whale Award for Excellence in Research and the Award for Excellence in Technology Management hang in the White Whale Conference Room. Concept & Design: Graham Schelter & Alex Sacerdote · Fabrication: Paul Kukstis · Photography: Graham Schelter.
The Melville Conference Room included historic S-Curve infographics.
Memorializing a holiday performance of Hamilton, including lyrics inspired by Cabinet Battle.
“Our office is a way for us to showcase what we stand for. When companies, LPs, and potential hires come through, they get a sense of who we are. Graham and the team captured the mission and vision and embedded it in the office experience.””