FORT MASON CENTER
Robinson   Jun 18.2019
The conceptual plan produced by Team West 8 presents the key recommendations for connecting, activating, and revitalizing Fort Mason Center into a leading arts and culture destination.

Introduction

Fort Mason, once known as San Francisco Port of Embarkation, is a former United States Army post located in the northern Marina District, alongside San Francisco Bay.Today it is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the site of several cultural facilities. The entire fort area is listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places, with 49 buildings of historic significance, spread over 1,200 acres (490 ha). while the lower port area is a
National Historic Landmark District, designated for its role in World War II.

Reason to Be Selected

Odintsovo 2020 Eco-City Proposal is planning and designing a compact, dense, mixed place whose primary goal is to create a rich,divers, lively project, 'sustainable' in the everyday sense of long-lasting.

Highlights:

The balance between innovation and historic preservation
Infrastructure preserved as an historic resource
New public space embedded in the vibrant cultural fabric

Details

Team West 8 touched regard Fort Mason Center as a vista that is owned by nobody but should be experienced by everybody. It is this premise that has informed the development of the conceptual design for Fort Mason Center. The design vision calls for design strategies, which strike a balance between innovation
and historic preservation as opposed to focusing on a single solution, allowing Fort Mason Center the flexibility to evolve over time.
The plan devotes attention to a facility that’s nearly 100 years old and contains some very unique and iconic infrastructure. Infrastructure, which must be upgraded in order to not only preserve Fort Mason Center as an historic resource but also transform it into a cultural commodity. Through deliberate programming and public space design, Fort Mason Center will cultivate a unique culture that reflects the heart and spirit of San Francisco. The programming of the piers and warehouse buildings will be expanded and integrated with a lively cultural plaza. With a well-curated events calendar Fort Mason Center will be home to a new Art-El  (art-oriented hotel), a selection of excellent restaurants cafes, creative enterprises and a number of renowned cultural institutions.
A pedestrian scale environment is emphasized throughout the site. The new granite-paved plazas will trace and emphasize the historic rail tracks. Wooden platforms glide across the old rail tracks to serve multiple functions in the plaza—as furnishings, for display, and as stages—which are flexible for many types of programs.

The renewal of the primary waterfront will create innovative places for public enjoyment, which are in harmony with the natural ecology. Visitors can play and experience a world class waterfront with the implementation of stepped platforms into the existing boat slips. Fort Mason Center will be a new public space embedded in the vibrant cultural fabric of San Francisco that is inspirational, educational and relevant to audiences within the region, the country and throughout the world.

Conclusions

Fort Mason Center is a unique piece of San Francisco’s waterfront collection, with a rich multi-layered history as a coastal defense battery during the Civil War and as the headquarters of the San Francisco Port of Embarkation during World War II. Fort Mason is currently a community destination, and has the potential to expand its role as a regional cultural destination. Today, however, it is an underutilized part of the waterfront.

 



Lat: 37
Lng: 122
Type:
Region: NorthAmerica
Scale: Region
Field: Civilian
City: San Francisco