Tag: san-francisco | ArchDaily

The Embarcadero Freeway: Elevated Infrastructure and Urban Regeneration in San Francisco

Moises Carrasco — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:30:00 +0000

In recent decades, cities across the world have seen an increase in the demolition of elevated concrete freeways. Taipei, Seoul, Portland, and Boston, for example, have all seen the rise and fall of these infrastructures to give way to parks and new urban regeneration ideas. In other cases, like Montreal in Canada, some people opposed the freeways even before they were built, effectively rerouting viaducts, preserving heritage, and freeing waterfront views. For San Francisco, in the United States, the story of the Embarcadero Freeway is one of those narratives that serves as a case study of the city's mid-century infrastructural ambition, people's reaction to the project, and its eventual reversal in favor of urban connectivity.

Form, Function, and Funding: The High-Tech Urbanism of San Francisco

Olivia Poston — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:30:00 +0000

San Francisco is a city that has always remade itself under pressure. Its Victorian streetscapes have survived seismic retrofits and glass towers, its neighborhoods defined as much by change as by its resistance to change. But no force in the city's history has reshaped the built environment as completely, or as quickly, as the technology economy. What began in the postwar sprawl of Silicon Valley migrated north and inscribed its logic onto the skyline and the lives of residents. The result of this logic is an architectural culture of considerable technical refinement and refined material palettes, yet one that remains largely indifferent to the existing population.

Edwin M. Lee Apartments / LMS Architects

Valeria Silva — Sat, 29 Nov 2025 06:00:00 +0000

A model for healthy living and resilience, the Edwin M. Lee Apartments is the first building in San Francisco to combine supportive housing for both unhoused veterans and low-income families. This collaboration—Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects, Saida + Sullivan Design Partners, Swords to Plowshares, and Chinatown Community Development Center—supports an integrated, equitable, and sustainable community in San Francisco's Mission Bay neighborhood.

Flower House / Craig Steely Architecture

Pilar Caballero — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

A house for a family located in a converted neighborhood corner store.

Transamerica Pyramid Center / Foster + Partners

Pilar Caballero — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 03:00:00 +0000

The biggest renovation in the building's 50-year history, the project gives a new lease of life to one of the city's most recognizable landmark towers and revitalizes the historic Transamerica Redwood Park at its base. The practice was appointed by SHVO, the luxury real estate development and investment firm.

Hosono House / Ryan Leidner Architecture

Pilar Caballero — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 06:00:00 +0000

Located in San Francisco's hilly Bernal Heights neighborhood, the Hosono House has an interesting setting in that the original structure, which was remodeled, was built in the rear of the property and setback significantly from the street, giving the home a unique sense of privacy and a feeling of being a true retreat. While the feeling of separation from the street created a unique sense of seclusion and sanctuary, it also presented challenges in terms of access and circulation. To resolve this, a new entry sequence was created, including a bridge that spans from the front garden, over the landscaped lower courtyard, to the new front door.

On Juneteenth, Discover 8 Museums and Cultural Institutions Dedicated to African American History and Culture

Maria-Cristina Florian — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Juneteenth, observed annually on June 19th, commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States, marking a moment of liberation and reflection on a complex and often overlooked history. Originally celebrated in Texas, Juneteenth has grown to symbolize broader themes of freedom, resilience, and cultural identity, fostering conversations about justice and representation. This day also presents an opportunity to highlight the ways in which architecture can serve as a medium for preserving and presenting African American history and cultural values.

Brutalism and Bureaucracy: An Architectural Language of Authority in the Postwar United States

Olivia Poston — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Brutalist architecture in the United States is a monument to collective postwar optimism and reassurance that the city and federal governments are in authority. Conceived as an embodiment of strength and efficiency, Brutalist structures were quickly adopted for the architectural language of civic and governmental institutions in the mid-to-late twentieth century in the United States. Towering monoliths of raw concrete rose across the nation, projecting an image of institutional permanence while simultaneously provoking debate over their social and psychological impact.

Waterfronts, Heritage, and Innovation: Recent Highlights from BIG, Gehl, and More in Architecture Now

Nour Fakharany — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 05:30:00 +0000

This month, architecture has addressed a wide array of themes, from preserving cultural heritage to designing for adaptability. Around the world, architects are responding to changing needs with solutions that aim to prioritize both functionality and the environment. Notable examples include Gehl, SOM, and Bionic's ambitious redevelopment of San Francisco's India Basin waterfront, which reimagines urban living in harmony with nature, and VOID Studios' collaboration on Kenya's Masai Mara Conservation Centre, a project deeply rooted in ecological and cultural sensitivity. Elsewhere, Nokken and BIG unveiled their "Softshell structure," offering a flexible option for hospitality and residential markets. Meanwhile, the transformation of The Raleigh in Miami Beach by Peter Marino aims to preserve the site's heritage while introducing new standards. These projects, among others, reflect the ever-evolving priorities of the field. Read on to discover the latest news shaping the architectural world.

Crane Cove Warehouse / Obata Noblin Office

Andreas Luco — Sat, 21 Dec 2024 11:00:00 +0000

A 10,750 SF open-format warehouse is transformed into a hybrid work and party space by Obata Noblin Office (ONO). Situated within a historic district in the Bay Area amongst a mix of industrial and residential buildings, the 1970s era warehouse is flanked by townhouses and maintains a mysterious presence with a nondescript corrugated metal façade. Within the edifice, an enclosed building is pushed to one end of the open warehouse, which once served as the offices of a modular home company. The redesign of this 2,000 SF volume focuses on accentuating the contrasts between rough, industrial elements and beautiful, natural materials, colors, textures, and thoughtful detailing. ONO showcases the exposed conduit, pipes, vents, and plywood that are practical to the original functions of the space.

California College of the Arts / Studio Gang

Andreas Luco — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 16:00:00 +0000

Studio Gang, the international architecture and urban design firm led by Jeanne Gang, has completed an expansion on the California College of the Arts (CCA) campus in San Francisco. The new building physically extends from CCA's existing main academic building to create a vibrant indoor-outdoor environment for learning and making, strengthening relationships among varied people, ideas, and creative practices. "The design intends to create a dynamic environment for art and design education, while also inspiring new forms of making through unexpected interactions between disciplines," says Jeanne Gang, Founding Partner of Studio Gang. "I'm excited to see how our addition to CCA's campus shapes the future of art and design and adds to San Francisco's storied creative community."

Cathedral School for Boys / The Office of Charles F. Bloszies

Valeria Silva — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000

The Cathedral School for Boys sits at the uppermost corner of the landmarked Grace Cathedral Close block, adjacent to the apse end of the Cathedral. The two-story addition designed by our office is connected horizontally to the original 1960s school building and sits on top of an existing concrete expansion from 2009. Our design consists of a steel structure with a glass and aluminum curtain wall: the new addition was light enough to land on the existing structure without foundation upgrades, and construction was sequenced to avoid interrupting the academic calendar. The addition contains open common spaces for large gatherings, small meetings, and quiet study, with spectacular views of the Cathedral transept and the downtown skyline. The project also included an interior renovation that created a new entry axis, leading directly from the front door to the new heart of school life.

Architecture Collaborations: What are Public-Private-Partnerships?

Nour Fakharany — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0000

In recent years, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) have become a significant model for delivering large-scale infrastructure projects around the world. These partnerships bring together the strengths of both the public sector, represented by governments or municipalities, and the private sector, combining their resources, expertise, and investment power. In the context of architecture and urban development, PPPs are increasingly being used to address the complex needs of growing cities, helping to finance, build, and maintain critical projects that would be difficult for either sector to accomplish alone. But what exactly are PPPs, and how do they function in the built environment? This article explores the concept of PPPs, providing examples from across the globe to illustrate how these partnerships are shaping the future of urban spaces, sometimes beyond commercial gains. Furthermore, by exploring the different projects, the article aims to develop a framework around PPPs' positive and negative potential impacts.

Mission Rock Building B / WORKac

Hana Abdel — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Building - Mission Rock Building B reimages the future of the workplace by fostering a seamless connection between interior and exterior spaces. Its eight stories feature cascading, carved-out gardens that serve as dynamic workspaces and outdoor meeting areas, encouraging occupants to work amidst lush greenery and stunning views of San Francisco. The building's flexible design, featuring two offset cores and expansive floor plates bathed in natural light, is ideal for a variety of tenants, from traditional commercial spaces to life sciences companies. Carved-out sections of the facade incorporate fritted glass, adding a unique, textured element while providing additional natural light to lower-floor interior spaces. WORKac designed open-concept, all-gender restrooms on each floor, ensuring privacy and inclusivity.

SVRN San Francisco / WGNB

Hana Abdel — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 02:00:00 +0000

The San Francisco SVRN store is a distinctive architectural project that merges the brand's identity with the unique characteristic of its location. Situated across two disjointed buildings on a hillside, the design aims to seamlessly integrate varying floor levels, ceiling structures, and architectural foundations, in order to create a cohesive customer experience. Central to the concept is an elliptical loop that weaves through the space, translating into a series of curved walls finished in green oxidized copper, a material chosen to symbolize the passage of time. This nods to the corten steel used in the previous Chicago store of SVRN, while also creating a dynamic flow that invites customers to freely explore. The resulting spatial tension between these curved segments adds a sense of discovery and embracing, enhancing the journey through the store.

Zero Waste Cities: Urban Strategies from San Francisco and Singapore

Ankitha Gattupalli — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 07:30:00 +0000

With expanding urban populations and evolving consumption patterns, cities are faced with challenges pertaining to waste management. Traditional approaches centered on collection and disposal currently seem inadequate in the face of serious environmental concerns and resource scarcity. Waste management has become a focused topic to address, being introduced as a key strategy towards circular economies. The Zero Waste concept hopes to transform the way cities manage urban waste and build supportive cultures around it.

Foster + Partners' Completes Long-Awaited Renovation of Transamerica Pyramid in San Fransisco, United States

Nour Fakharany — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 05:30:00 +0000

The Transamerica Pyramid Center has just announced the completion of the long-awaited Foster + Partners led renovation in San Francisco, United States. An iconic landmark of San Francisco's skyline since its completion in 1972, has been undergoing its most significant renovation to date. Originally designed by American architect William Pereira in a Brutalist style, the 48-story tower was the tallest building in San Francisco for nearly 50 years. This renovation will also include enhancements to the adjacent buildings.

Field Operations and SITELAB Reveal Urban Design Plan to Revive One of San Francisco’s Iconic Streets

Maria-Cristina Florian — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 06:30:00 +0000

SITELAB urban studio and Field Operations have revealed a design proposal to reimagine San Francisco’s iconic Powell Street. The street used to be one of the busiest pedestrian corridors in its district and a popular tourist attraction, with cable cars running up and down the street and connecting Union Square and Hallidie Plaza. Across the most popular three-block stretch, the storefronts have become mostly vacant. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, one of the reasons was the Covid pandemic, which led to a further decrease in tourism and in commercial activities. Now a new project led by designers SITELAB urban studio and Field Operations aims to revive the now underutilized transit corridor and to catalyze a renewed interest in the area.