San Francisco
SMWM

Photography © Richard Barnes

Commercial success fuses with old world charm

Architect SMWM www.smwm.com; Badauf Catton Von Eckartsberg (retail architect); Page & Turnbull www.page-turnbull.com (preservation architect) Client Port of San Francisco; Wilson Meany Sullivan; Equity Office Properties Key players Plant Company Construction (construction); Rutherford & Chekene and Structural Design Engineers (structural); Anderson, Rowe & Buckley (mechanical) Read more Project Portfolio [November 2004]

How do you reinvent a landmark building? With the destruction of the freeway that separated the San Francisco Ferry Building from the the city, the client saw an opportunity to restore the building as a transportation, retail, and office center, attracting the community to the waterfront. The design meticulously restored the building's original architectural elements, while incorporating new uses. The restoration of a 600-foot-long passenger concourse or nave exists as the core of the project. Office space that had been added in the 1950s was removed and large openings were cut into the second floor, bringing light and vibrancy to the ground level. The client and design team turned to 19th-century European arcades and department stores as models, bringing local artisans and restaurants to the marketplace. Both a 100 percent lease-rate and a 12.5 percent increase in ferry use per year indicates success.

For more images please see the November 2004 issue or Architectural Record.
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Browse the Projects

The Winners: Limerick County Hall | Britomart Transport Centre | Ehime Prefectural Budokan | Humane Society/SPCA of San Antonio and Bexar County | James M. Wood Comm. Cntr. | Finn Center, Community School of Music and Arts | Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center | MoMA QNS | Iron Studio, Penland School | Israeli Foreign Ministry

The Finalists: Quintessa Winery | FDNY Fire Zone | University Health Network/ Toronto Hospita | General Mills, World Headquarters | Hotel Monaco (Tariff Building) | Marion Oliver McCaw Hall | Ford Rouge Center | San Francisco Ferry Building | Brentwood Skytrain Station

Editors' Choice: Satellite Operations Facility & Administrative Offices | Montclair Lofts

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