Conceptual overview:
San Francisco’s famous waterfront asset, the embarcadero pedestrian way, Is slated to become home to one of the most transformative and technologically advanced fireboat stations in the country. The project consists of a glass and metal clad fire station floating on the San Francisco bay directly behind the historic fire station near the embarcadero promenade. Just north of the historic fire station will be an overlook connected to the new fire station offering splendid views of the built and natural environment and an opportunity for award-winning public art. Welcome to the home of the bay star.
Because of the utility and history of San Francisco fireboats the artwork needs to represent aspects of fire station #35, capture the essene of the awesome natural resources surrounding this built environment and represent the civic members lost during the region’s most tragic times. Visually, the bay star utilizes a traditional fireboat tool, firehose nozzles, in order to create a new identity. By enlarging, dissecting and reassembling this quintessential structure, the bay star creates a dynamic architectural shape that references the natural wonders of the San Francisco bay and surrounding environment. In addition to the large bronze sculpture there will be bronze text embedded into the ground plane offering visitors an educational component which will include the names of community members that were lost during the Loma Prieta earthquake and stories about this devastating occurrence and the heroism that followed. The seemingly precarious yet extremely technical approach balanced with the warmth of color and iconic shape creates a powerful, uplifting and memorable experience for pedestrians that highlights the areas unique fireboat history while highlighting the awe-inspiring views of the bay.
Conceptual narrative
Concept:
Three elements must be present for a fire to ignite; fuel, heat and oxygen. It is the essentiallness of each of these elements, and their combined power, that creates foundation for my artwork proposal, the bay star. The bay star highlights three unique facets of San Francisco fireboat history - firstly, the artwork utilizes a quintessential fireboat element, fireboat nozzles, to create its core identity and experience. Secondly, by strategically repeating and arranging the fireboat nozzles the artwork is able to capture an aquatic aesthetic while highlighting the natural environment, the San Francisco bay, which makes fire boating possible and experience of the area awe-inspiring. Finally, the artwork represents the community members that were lost during the Loma Prieta earthquake while emphasizing the essentialness of fireboats like the phoenix. Together, fire boat identity, symbolism of the natural environment and the representation of our civic members combine to create the bay star.
Materials:
I chose to work with polished bronze as the primary material of the bay star. Logistically, this material has proven itself as an ideal candidate for low maintenance and longevity in coastal regions and conceptually and experiencially, this material strongly references the brass detailing commonly used in fire equipment while resulting in a visual experience that is positive and uplifting. In additional to the large bronze sculpture, like rays of sun, there will be lines of bronze text embedded into the ground plane and emanating from the sculpture providing passersby information about the unique fireboat history and memorializing community members that perished in the Loma Prierta earthquake. The final artwork will reference the historical, cultural and natural attributes of the setting while complimenting the materials and shapes used in the adjacent built and natural environment. The bay star will be a constructed using a combination of cast, welded and polished bronze with a structural stainless steel interior armature that will be secured to a structural concrete footer.
Lighting:
While the polished bronze material will offer incredible daytime experiences it is important that the artwork has nighttime presence as well. In addition to embedded ground lighting the artwork will have led’s embedded in the artwork core and within each of the bronze nozzles so at night the entire sculpture will vibrantly pulse along the shoreline.
Colors:
a polished bronze was selected because of its limited maintenance and excellent longevity but also because of its warm golden hue. This vibrant and enduring color will compliment the local architecture, highlight the natural environment and enhance the views of the San Francisco bay.
Location:
The bay star will be installed on the waterfront where Harrison st. And the embarcadero pedestrian way intersect. At this intersection is a newly designed pier with an overlook nestled between the San Francisco bay and fire station #35’s vehicle pathway. The artwork will be situated in the center of this overlook area which allows for great visibility from all angles and for various modes of transport. This location offers incredible views of the waterfront, the bay bridge and the San Francisco bay.
View a larger image of the proposal.
The San Francisco Arts Commission is conducting a selection process to choose artwork for new Fire Station #35 at Pier 22 ½. The Fire Station will consist of a new two-story fire boat station, which will be built on top of a steel float and anchored by six guide piles. San Francisco Fire Department's three fireboats and rescue watercraft will be moored at the new floating facility. The goal of the artwork is to enhance the planned space and highlight the history and operations of the station and the fireboats. The artwork may also include reference to the fire boats’ importance in the aftermath of the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. The artwork will also align with the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission’s Public Access Design Guidelines for the San Francisco Bay. Four artists were chosen as finalists by a Selection Panel to create site-specific proposals for Fire Station #35: Hood Design Studio Inc, Lead Pencil Studio, Mark Reigelman, and Adrien Segal.
BOW : something shaped in a curve
As all new buildings and marine structures are constructed, they enter into the ever-expanding tapestry of civic infrastructure. City firefighters must absorb these new structures, regardless of their size or configuration and understand how to protect them and their inhabitants should a disaster ignite. The firefighters of Station #35 are no exception, and although it does have a small fire engine to fight landbased fires, it is mostly viewed as a defender of marine structures via its notorious fleet of waterpumping ships. The most significant fire fought from Station #35 was a 15 hour pumping operation for the Marina District apartment fire over two miles away and two blocks from shore following the 1989
PROJECT PARAMETERS
Opportunity For Public Comment
Please take a few minutes to review the conceptual proposals for Fire Station #35 and complete a comment form below. You may also email your comments to sfacpublicartcomment@sfgov.org, or hand deliver/mail comments to 401 Van Ness Avenue, Room 325 by January 23, 2018, 5 p.m.
The Final Selection Panel meeting will take place on Friday, January 25, 2018, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at 401 Van Ness Avenue, Room 302. All Artist Selection Panel meetings are open to the public. An agenda for the meeting will be posted 72-hour in advance of the meeting on SFAC’s website under the Public Meeting section: www.sfartscommission.org/calendar.