sfcitywalk

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sfcitywalk
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San Francisco, CA

• This field trip will support class lectures on
  hotel lobby design, tourism redevelopment, urban
  landscapes, public spaces and the fine art of
  enjoying

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San Francisco, CA

• The sites visited have been selected to provide
  the maximum variety within the most limited
  amount of walking space/time. Naturally, San
  Francisco offers several other facilities/sites
  that could be observed that would offer far
  greater examples of 154 concepts than provided in
  Sacramento. This is the reasoning behind the trip
  and it is hoped that students take advantage of
  the opportunity to learn in the field.

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San Francisco, CA

• It is not, however, assumed that work and play
  should be entirely separated, and part of the
  goal of the course (as evidenced through the two
  course texts) is to create spaces (places) that
  are enjoyed by the public. Therefore, the
  required part of this trip will conclude with
  enjoying.

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San Francisco, CA

• Like the rest of the trip, this is a chance for
  observation and learning. Do it passionately in
  all aspects and the trip will be a success for
  you and the course.

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San Francisco, CA

• It is assumed that there is a wide-range of
  experience with San Francisco, some of you having
  lived there, some of you having (almost) never
  been. Even if you have visited a site on the trip
  before, it is expected that you will see the site
  from a new perspective based on what youve
  already learned in class and read in the course
  texts so please keep that in mind.

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San Francisco, CA

• It should be noted that several options for this
  field trip were reviewed and weighed until the
  last possible moment. Two detailed trips were
  made to San Francisco recently to check the
  feasibility of moving through the city, and
  because of access, some locations were dropped
  from the trip. A list of these locations will
  also be provided as examples for further study,
  should the student desire.

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San Francisco, CA

• You will be walking dress comfortably
• Bring material (this handout perhaps) to take
  notes on
• Bring money for lunch
• You may want a bottled water
• Cameras will be very useful on this trip
• Bring a positive, open attitude, ask questions
  and make comments

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Ferry Building
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Hyatt Regency, San Francisco
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Embarcadero Center
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Palace Hotel Lobby
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Crouching Spider
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Justin Herman Plaza
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Crocker Galleria
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Yerba Buena Plaza
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Not to be Missed Except on this Trip

• A few other locations in the city should be
  mentioned in regards to great design. On future
  visits to the city, as RPTA people, you should
  make a point of seeing these locations at one
  point or another (if you havent already).

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Federal Building, San Francisco
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Federal Building, San Francisco

• 2007 / Corner of Mission and 7th
• Thom Mayne of Morphosis
• Neo Modern / Deconstructivist
• Green building / LEED (Leader in Energy and
  Environmental Design) Silver Rating (first
  naturally ventilated office building to be built
  on the west coast since the advent of air
  conditioning)
• Elevators stop at only every third floor to
  encourage healthy lifestyles
• Buildings oddly narrow profile helps with
  ventilation
• A return to importance in architecture for
  government buildings (Mayne also recently
  designed the new Caltrans building in Los
  Angeles)
• As all design leans towards LEED certification,
  RPTA students should be aware of these efforts
  and encourage their designers to achieve these
  ratings

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de Young
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de Young

• 2005 / Golden Gate Park
• Herzog and de Meuron
• Neo Brutalism / Deconstructivist
• Shockingly beautiful or just shocking, the new de
  Young museum replaces the older, Mission Style
  building that was damaged in the 1989 earthquake
• The 144ft high tower provides excellent views of
  the park and surrounding city, and has made the
  de Young the parks most visited structure (the
  tower is free to the public on all days a gift
  to the city and its visitors)
• The buildings copper skin is dimpled and
  perforated, and naturally, will turn green as the
  building ages a west coast Statue of Liberty
• When the building opened, it was called an
  aircraft carrier by one newspaper reporter

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Conservatory of Flowers
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Conservatory of Flowers

• 1879/2003 / Golden Gate Park
• Tropical Victorian
• Destroyed in 1995 storm, in 1998, First Lady
  Hillary Clinton adopts the closed building and
  makes it a priority of the National Trusts Save
  Americas Treasures project she raises 25 to
  restore the building
• Building and accidental gift to San Francisco
  from dead San Jose businessman, James Lick
• 154 focuses on design as it relates to
  recreation, parks and tourism this structure
  shows a powerfully effective tourism use in a
  public park
• Docents are passionate and knowledgeable, but
  could clearly use a commercial recreation touch
  to their presentation ?
• The gardens, as well as the building itself
  represent a park function not found at all in
  Sacramento

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Conservatory of Flowers
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California Academy of Sciences

• It's important to have institutions like the
  Academy with such a distinguished history that
  can perpetuate curiosity and intellectual inquiry
  and scientific enterprise. - Hillary Clinton
• Winner of EPAs 2006 Environmental Award
• Winner of 2006 Holcim Award for Sustainable
  Construction
• As a facility maintenance issue, the Academy
  converts nearly 80 of its garbage to recycling
• The living roof will absorb two millions
  gallons of rainwater a year
• Rainwater will run the buildings plumbing as
  well as support its landscaping
• The living roof will also create solar energy to
  run the building, as well as insolate it, keeping
  energy costs 30 below the minimum requirement
  for the city of San Francisco (which is the
  lowest of any major metropolitan area in the
  country)

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California Academy of Sciences

• September 2008 / Golden Gate Park
• Renzo Piano
• Aiming for LEED Platinum rating

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California Academy of Sciences
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San Franciscos Hills
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San Franciscos Hills

• San Franciscos beauty is often attributed to the
  citys hills and the city is indeed designed
  with them in mind
• The tops of San Franciscos hills, while surely
  valuable real estate, has been left to the citys
  park and recreation district
• San Francisco also accentuates its hills by
  placing taller buildings on the hills and shorter
  buildings in on the flat parts of the city (a few
  exceptions, of course, include the financial
  district)

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Union Square
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Union Square

• Known as northern Californias finest shopping
  district, Union Square is also a public park
• For commercial students, it is the location of
  some of the citys best known boutique hotels
  (two by Conley), large name brand hotels
  (including the Grand Hyatt and the Westin St.
  Francis), restaurants (Scalas!) it is also a
  major tourist attraction
• Confederates bewareUnion Square gets its name
  as the rallying point for Union troops during the
  Civil War
• The facility was extensively remodeled for
  several years from 1998 to 2002
• Green space was replaced with hardscape for
  maintenance and security design reasons (as well
  as sight lines)
• Movable chairs were added (as were commercial
  vendors)
• Programming was updated to include more concerts
  and events

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Fairmont Hotel

• Located on Nob Hill
• The lobby and rooms were recently restored

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Ghirardelli Square

• The first re-use project in the country
• Landmarks are essential Ghirardelli uses a
  tower and a huge sign to mark its spot, crucial
  in commercial design
• Restoration finished in 2007 to re-invigorate the
  spot (a good chance for promotion and attention
  in the press as well as giving locals a reason to
  go back)

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Ghirardelli Square

• Although primarily a tourist attraction, the
  square does have a public space, which is a
  clever design element that makes tourists
  comfortable and wanting to hang out (sometimes
  public spaces attract locals, which often dont
  spend money, and businesses want the spaces
  removed)
• Learning Tip (from Project for Public Spaces)
  Any great square has a variety of smaller
  "places" within it to appeal to various people.
  These can include outdoor cafés, fountains,
  sculpture, or a bandshell for performances. These
  attractions don't need to be big to make the
  square a success. In fact, some of the best civic
  squares have numerous small attractions such as a
  vendor cart or playground that, when put
  together, draw people throughout the day. We
  often use the idea of "The Power of Ten" to set
  goals for destinations within a square. Creating
  ten good places, each with ten things to do,
  offers a fullprogram for a successful square.

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Bay Street
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Bay Street
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Bay Street

• Not the best example of New Urbanism/Smart
  Growth/Mix-Use Development in the bay area
  (Santana Row in San Jose would be that), Bay
  Street has recently added condo units above the
  retail for a fuller New Urbanist mix
• There is also a very interesting interpretation
  project on Temescal Creek, which features a
  recreation of an Ohlone shellmound
• Its beautifully commercial and surprisingly
  residential at the same time would you live in
  a mall?
• Next door to IKEA

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Muir Woods
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Muir Woods

• A facility for you outdoor people, this is worth
  a visit just to look at the interpretation and
  trail layout
• The facility is very well done, considering the
  hour-long walk is short
• The location of the entrance/visitor center is
  well-placed with several redwoods right behind
  for a dramatic effect
• Parking is appropriate, if not a bit small, but
  overflow parking is available it keeps the lots
  small and not too intrusive
• Only a dozen miles north of San Francisco, but a
  legitimate outdoor experience