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Architects: WRNS Studio
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Photographs:Tim Griffith
Text description provided by the architects. Located within San Francisco’s Mission Bay redevelopment zone, this parking structure serves adjacent laboratories and offices with 1,420 spaces on seven elevated levels. The north and east façades, which face public open space, are clad in perforated aluminum panels with pixelated imagery of California’s redwood forests. This imagery is intended to evoke the filigree of adjacent tree canopies and create a sense of pedestrian scale. The south elevation, which faces a heavily trafficked street, incorporates a deeply canted plaster wall designed to engage sunlight and shadow, creating interest across the facade. The ground level is recessed along the south and east elevations, offering a covered pedestrian walkway. This feature also lightens the overall building mass as the aluminum panels and the plaster wall appear to hover above the ground. The primary pedestrian access point is located at the building’s northeast corner, with the upper levels clad with a canted plaster box similar to the south facing façade. The intent of this element is to provide an urban pause, allowing people to take in views of the surrounding parks. It also offers a figurative presence as seen from the public open spaces.
