Originally built in 1908, the historic Powell Hotel was transformed into The Axiom, a 152-room independent boutique hotel. The property’s location next to Hallidie Square, whose namesake Andrew Smith Hallidie invented the steel cables that move the iconic San Francisco cable car system, provided inspiration for the design. Geared to the business travelers of the “tech generation,” the hotel’s offerings include a new lobby, lounge, café, meeting spaces, and an energetic gym. Several historic features from the original building were preserved, including the original steel columns, molding, and iron railing along the mezzanine. To modernize the space, the design team added a collection of contemporary lighting and art that reference the city’s standing as a beacon of technological change and the connectedness of the current day.