Hey all, I'm heading to San Fran in March for 10 days, I've never been in the area or California for that matter. Any ideas for what to see and do? Of course, please include you fav 'archi tours'. Much thanks in advance.
You could check out the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park by Herzog & de Meuron.....thats all I got for specifics.
San Francisco itself is just a really cool city. Tons of buildings built right next to eachother on rolling hills. Its kinda magical looking in a way. Just walk around and look at some of the unusual site conditions these houses are built around. That was the most interesting thing to me anyways. Oh and if you have a car and half a day you could drive to The Muir Woods and check out the redwood forest, its really cool.
That's what I've heard about San Fran, can't wait to just walk the streets mostly...
Herzog is a must see..also anyone know if there is public access to the Dominus Winery? I read on the website that they do not take visitors due to some state law...
The Sutro Baths is very intriguing...I think I'll do a bit more research into it...
if you're gonna cross the golden gate bridge, then you've got to go see the bay model in sausalito.
taken from their site, "The Bay Model is a three-dimensional hydraulic model of San Francisco Bay and Delta areas capable of simulating tides and currents. The Model is over 1.5 acres in size and represents an area from the Pacific Ocean to Sacramento and Stockton, including: the San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun Bays and a portion of the Sacramento - San Joaquin Delta."
i don't think they use it for modelling anymore, but it's a pretty sweet constuction.
i just remembered though, if you're on the north side of the bridge, you should go to the headlands center for the arts. it is part of an old army base that has some cool stuff going on. check out the latrine project done by Interim Office of Architecture. since it's an old army base, there is also a nike missle installation there that has been turned into a museum. i've heard that they have demonstrations of the charming cold-war machinery on certain days by the old-timers who are restring the equipment.
Goto Coit tower(telegraph hill) - i havent been there yet but ive herd it has incredible views better than the DeYoung...and while at the DeYoung check out the Renzo Piano Building across the way...its a renovation project w/ some funky bubble type thingys on the roof(still under construction)
-definatly the federal building on mission...very cool
-stay at the orchid hotel ...the first "green" hotel in SF...located on Bush st.
-the beach kinda sucks
-if ya like seafood goto the Wharf
-stay out of the TL
-check out haight st. to see some interesting characters and stores
-and if you like music check out jambase or sf-gate this is definatly the city for music
- just moved here recently so im sure theres alot more going on that i dont know about...when are you planning to come out here anyway???
-it rains from like Nov.-April...and doesnt get much warmer that 80 from-May-Oct. ..... its raining right now damnit
while at the deyoung, go across the street to the strybing arboretum. pretty cool stuff in there.
go down to the irving street neighborhood in the sunset, right outside the park. awesome ramen at hotei.
coit tower definitely has amazing views...
check out a film at the castro theater or dinner & movie at foreign cinema...
the views from seal rocks on the west side are awesome when the weather is clear, which it wont be for another two months, now that the rains have finally arrived.
please DO NOT EVER call it 'frisco' while you are here. you will, unfortunately, be struck down by lightning the moment the word leaves your mouth.
the new fed bldg is dope.
the FLW building on Maiden Lane near Union Square is awesome. It's a total cousin to the Guggenheim. Though in this case it's a solid brick front elevation with no windows, a small arched doorway, and opens up into one large two story volume with a circular ramp ringning the inside perimeter with fully skylit ceiling. it's now an asian art gallery called Xanadu.
also, there's massive, massive construction going on in the rincon hill neighborhood area. walk around mission street between 5th and the embarcadero and see tons of jobsites in varying degrees of completion. also the renzo piano bldg on mission is nice. elegant, restrained, not flashy, but a nice piece of work, imho.
i wouldn't stay steer clear of the tenderloin completely, just watch out if you're going there at night. great dive bars abound.
hayes valley is trendy and hip with lots of overpriced shops.
the city hall is STELLAR, and 13" taller than the White House, but who's counting? behind the city hall is the opera house and the symphony hall, both of which are beautiful.
take bart over to berkeley and check out some dynamite craftsman work in the residential neighborhoods. some really great specimens over there...maybeck-ian paradise.
man, there's tons to see, but that's all for now...i'll think of some others and post 'em up.
from the looks of that last post i should stay away from buttless chaps and port-o-potties.
an FLW Guggenheim clone? I am unfamiliar with this project, but I've been to the actual 5th Ave Guggenheim a number of times...hmmmm, better check my FLW bible.
it's not exactly a clone, more a precursor, but there's some real similarities from the interior perspective. it's small though, maybe 10000sf or so total...
a definite gem...and a must see on any arch-enthusiast's SF list.
It's a ramp like the Guggenheim and the entry arch really pays homage to HH Richardson's Glessner House servants' entrance.
There are a lot of great restaurants. Tu Lan is a classic. It was "discovered" by Julia Child and is at 6th south of Market. Don't be intimidated by the open air drug market you'll have to cut through to get to the front door. The food is really good and inexpensive.
There's a great architecture bookstore. It's on Montgomerfy street.
I suggest dining at Tu Lan and then walking east on Market to Grant Street. Go north on Grant by the old bank that's the Emporio Armani. I think it's one of the great urban walks and experiences in the US. You go up and down hills and experience three continents-- China Town, Italian North Beach and the hills of SF-- in about half an hour. You'll end up at Coit Tower.
i work in north beach quite a bit and go by there all the time.
that bookstore is called william stout architectural books i believe, and is totally awesome. builder's booksource in berkeley on 4th street is also pretty great.
stout is also right by the jackson square area which is home to many many design houses including a variety of cool showrooms, artemide, kartell, among others.
nice tip on Tu Lan...i haven't been there yet, but now that you bring it up, maybe i'll go next week.
I heard Bill Stout's branch on the old park... what is it called? has shut its doors. I liked the design of the store a great deal. And the gallery was fun!
Is the new Morphosis-designed court house done?
Does anyone have any photos of the completed building?
San Fran bound...Ideas?
Hey all, I'm heading to San Fran in March for 10 days, I've never been in the area or California for that matter. Any ideas for what to see and do? Of course, please include you fav 'archi tours'. Much thanks in advance.
You could check out the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park by Herzog & de Meuron.....thats all I got for specifics.
San Francisco itself is just a really cool city. Tons of buildings built right next to eachother on rolling hills. Its kinda magical looking in a way. Just walk around and look at some of the unusual site conditions these houses are built around. That was the most interesting thing to me anyways. Oh and if you have a car and half a day you could drive to The Muir Woods and check out the redwood forest, its really cool.
The ruins of the Sutro Baths are really cool...
link
That's what I've heard about San Fran, can't wait to just walk the streets mostly...
Herzog is a must see..also anyone know if there is public access to the Dominus Winery? I read on the website that they do not take visitors due to some state law...
The Sutro Baths is very intriguing...I think I'll do a bit more research into it...
if you're gonna cross the golden gate bridge, then you've got to go see the bay model in sausalito.
taken from their site, "The Bay Model is a three-dimensional hydraulic model of San Francisco Bay and Delta areas capable of simulating tides and currents. The Model is over 1.5 acres in size and represents an area from the Pacific Ocean to Sacramento and Stockton, including: the San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun Bays and a portion of the Sacramento - San Joaquin Delta."
i don't think they use it for modelling anymore, but it's a pretty sweet constuction.
That's pretty damn cool....and it brought up another idea I had. It is Suisan Bay that is home to the Warship Graveyard?
dunno about suisun.
i just remembered though, if you're on the north side of the bridge, you should go to the headlands center for the arts. it is part of an old army base that has some cool stuff going on. check out the latrine project done by Interim Office of Architecture. since it's an old army base, there is also a nike missle installation there that has been turned into a museum. i've heard that they have demonstrations of the charming cold-war machinery on certain days by the old-timers who are restring the equipment.
Thom Mayne - Federal building on 7th and Mission
Stanley Saitowitz - Yerba Buena Lofts, 1028 & 1022 Natoma St. condos, UCSF parking structure
1st a tip: Don't call it San Fran. Locals will look at you like you're a ... tourist I suppose.
Definitely check out Saint Mary's Cathedral. It's one of them concrete shell buildings.
THANK YOU adrasteia.
Dude, please refrain from the term "san fran". It's eitheir San Francisco or SF, nothing in between. Hope you have a great time.
phew...dodged a bullet there...and for sure I wouldn't have referred to it as the above in situ...but thanks for the tip
Goto Coit tower(telegraph hill) - i havent been there yet but ive herd it has incredible views better than the DeYoung...and while at the DeYoung check out the Renzo Piano Building across the way...its a renovation project w/ some funky bubble type thingys on the roof(still under construction)
-definatly the federal building on mission...very cool
-stay at the orchid hotel ...the first "green" hotel in SF...located on Bush st.
-the beach kinda sucks
-if ya like seafood goto the Wharf
-stay out of the TL
-check out haight st. to see some interesting characters and stores
-and if you like music check out jambase or sf-gate this is definatly the city for music
- just moved here recently so im sure theres alot more going on that i dont know about...when are you planning to come out here anyway???
-it rains from like Nov.-April...and doesnt get much warmer that 80 from-May-Oct. ..... its raining right now damnit
while at the deyoung, go across the street to the strybing arboretum. pretty cool stuff in there.
go down to the irving street neighborhood in the sunset, right outside the park. awesome ramen at hotei.
coit tower definitely has amazing views...
check out a film at the castro theater or dinner & movie at foreign cinema...
the views from seal rocks on the west side are awesome when the weather is clear, which it wont be for another two months, now that the rains have finally arrived.
please DO NOT EVER call it 'frisco' while you are here. you will, unfortunately, be struck down by lightning the moment the word leaves your mouth.
the new fed bldg is dope.
the FLW building on Maiden Lane near Union Square is awesome. It's a total cousin to the Guggenheim. Though in this case it's a solid brick front elevation with no windows, a small arched doorway, and opens up into one large two story volume with a circular ramp ringning the inside perimeter with fully skylit ceiling. it's now an asian art gallery called Xanadu.
also, there's massive, massive construction going on in the rincon hill neighborhood area. walk around mission street between 5th and the embarcadero and see tons of jobsites in varying degrees of completion. also the renzo piano bldg on mission is nice. elegant, restrained, not flashy, but a nice piece of work, imho.
i wouldn't stay steer clear of the tenderloin completely, just watch out if you're going there at night. great dive bars abound.
hayes valley is trendy and hip with lots of overpriced shops.
the city hall is STELLAR, and 13" taller than the White House, but who's counting? behind the city hall is the opera house and the symphony hall, both of which are beautiful.
take bart over to berkeley and check out some dynamite craftsman work in the residential neighborhoods. some really great specimens over there...maybeck-ian paradise.
man, there's tons to see, but that's all for now...i'll think of some others and post 'em up.
from the looks of that last post i should stay away from buttless chaps and port-o-potties.
an FLW Guggenheim clone? I am unfamiliar with this project, but I've been to the actual 5th Ave Guggenheim a number of times...hmmmm, better check my FLW bible.
it's not exactly a clone, more a precursor, but there's some real similarities from the interior perspective. it's small though, maybe 10000sf or so total...
a definite gem...and a must see on any arch-enthusiast's SF list.
here's another...
It's a ramp like the Guggenheim and the entry arch really pays homage to HH Richardson's Glessner House servants' entrance.
There are a lot of great restaurants. Tu Lan is a classic. It was "discovered" by Julia Child and is at 6th south of Market. Don't be intimidated by the open air drug market you'll have to cut through to get to the front door. The food is really good and inexpensive.
There's a great architecture bookstore. It's on Montgomerfy street.
I suggest dining at Tu Lan and then walking east on Market to Grant Street. Go north on Grant by the old bank that's the Emporio Armani. I think it's one of the great urban walks and experiences in the US. You go up and down hills and experience three continents-- China Town, Italian North Beach and the hills of SF-- in about half an hour. You'll end up at Coit Tower.
That used to be my walk home from work!
Enjoy!
i work in north beach quite a bit and go by there all the time.
that bookstore is called william stout architectural books i believe, and is totally awesome. builder's booksource in berkeley on 4th street is also pretty great.
stout is also right by the jackson square area which is home to many many design houses including a variety of cool showrooms, artemide, kartell, among others.
nice tip on Tu Lan...i haven't been there yet, but now that you bring it up, maybe i'll go next week.
I heard Bill Stout's branch on the old park... what is it called? has shut its doors. I liked the design of the store a great deal. And the gallery was fun!
Is the new Morphosis-designed court house done?
Does anyone have any photos of the completed building?
i don't believe it's done yet, but it's gotta' be pretty darned close by now.
maybe next tuesday i'll bring the camera with me to the city and snapshoot the morphosis...i'll post 'em here if i get them.
it'd make a nice walk actually, Tu Lan on sixth, past the Saitowitz lofts, a cocktail at Azie and then over to the federal building.
if it's really nice and/or still daylight, maybe i'll grab a few shots of the civic center plaza by the town hall. i love the london planes there...
and btw - back to the o.p., you should definitely check out the Ferry Building.
It's an amazing renovation job. stellar, really. you just have to get past the overpriced boutique olive oils and expensive milkshakes.
taylor's refresher is worth every penny though, and hog island oyster bar in the back of the ferry plaza is great too. best shellfish in town.
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