6/20/15 SF Architecture Tour and Pier 39

Today we took a tour of the financial district which focused on architecture from Rick Evans.  His website is here.  Janie was in heaven.  Our tour included some of the oldest structures in this district from 1908, as SF reconstructed itself after the 1906 earthquake, up to a new development project slated for completion in 2017.  We learned about PoPos (privately-owned public open spaces) and got to see how several historical buildings have transformed into parks and terraces.

Hallidie Building 1917 - The World's First Glass Curtain Wall by Willis Polk

Wells Fargo / Crocker Center original in 1908 by Willis Polk - lower floors of the building are preserved after the upper ten stories were destroyed to provide "air rights" for the building next door (to the right).  Urban Garden inserted on the roof is now a PoPos. 

Crown Zellerbach Paper Company Building 1959 - The first "Glass Building" after the war.  A favorite for fans of modernism.  Architects are Skidmore and Owings & Merrill. 

One Rincon Hill South Tower 2008 - beginning of a new planned community of sky scrapers which will include the largest raised park in the city.  The building on the right contains a large 50,000 gallon water tank to help the skyscraper survive earthquakes and high winds.  

Then we headed to Pier 39 which is famous for the sea lions lounging around on the docks.

We ate at a terrific Vietnamese fusion restaurant called "The Slanted Door".

We did not ask Zoltar to change our future - we are having too good of a time to want anything else.