Case Study Studio
Higher Ground: Sutro Baths Tsunami Memorial / New Ground: Hayes Valley Park, San Francisco
Higher Ground: Sutro Baths Tsunami Memorial
On March 11 2011, an 9.0 undersea megathrust in the Pacific Ocean triggered the Tōhoku tsunami. The resulting wave devastated a swathe of coastline in east Japan, killing 20 000 people and wiping entire villages from the map. The wave made its impact as far away as California, with one person swept away from a beach. The Japan disaster followed recent glut of devastating tsunamis. In late 2009 a series of tremors sparked several tsunamis in the Pacific Ocean, devastating a number of small Pacific Islands including Samoa. And on December 26 2004, a 9.3 undersea megathrust in the Indian Ocean generated tsunamis that killed approximately 230 000 people in 14 countries and obliterated entire communities from Indonesia to Sri Lanka. Causalities were documented as far west as the horn of Africa. The 10-year anniversary of this event was widely reported in the media, with numerous news specials documenting affected areas a decade on.
To help provide a focal point for loss, grief, healing, memory and information, memorials have and continue to be designed and constructed in many of the directly affected regions. A tsunami memorial in San Francisco will give many who were affected – either directly (eg family origins in affected areas or holidaymakers) or indirectly (through the media) – a place in which to pay their respects and to not forget. That is, although some of these events happened years ago, and none physically impacted San Francisco, memorialization transcends time and space.
On March 11 2011, an 9.0 undersea megathrust in the Pacific Ocean triggered the Tōhoku tsunami. The resulting wave devastated a swathe of coastline in east Japan, killing 20 000 people and wiping entire villages from the map. The wave made its impact as far away as California, with one person swept away from a beach. The Japan disaster followed recent glut of devastating tsunamis. In late 2009 a series of tremors sparked several tsunamis in the Pacific Ocean, devastating a number of small Pacific Islands including Samoa. And on December 26 2004, a 9.3 undersea megathrust in the Indian Ocean generated tsunamis that killed approximately 230 000 people in 14 countries and obliterated entire communities from Indonesia to Sri Lanka. Causalities were documented as far west as the horn of Africa. The 10-year anniversary of this event was widely reported in the media, with numerous news specials documenting affected areas a decade on.
To help provide a focal point for loss, grief, healing, memory and information, memorials have and continue to be designed and constructed in many of the directly affected regions. A tsunami memorial in San Francisco will give many who were affected – either directly (eg family origins in affected areas or holidaymakers) or indirectly (through the media) – a place in which to pay their respects and to not forget. That is, although some of these events happened years ago, and none physically impacted San Francisco, memorialization transcends time and space.
Eva Phe
Adam Ng
Tatyana Vashchenko
New Ground: Hayes Valley Post-Freeway Park
The city block bordered by Octavia Boulevard, Fell, Laguna and Oak Streets, and partially incised by Hickory Street, has had a difficult recent history. Originally an intact residential block situated within a contiguous urban fabric, the properties on the site were resumed and demolished in the 1960’s to accommodate off/on ramps servicing the freeway that was constructed over Octavia Street. Due to structural earthquake damage and a changing tide in attitudes towards inner city freeways, the double deck structure was systematically removed, and much of the resultant void was reinvigorated as Octavia Boulevard. Having lain fallow for several decades, in 2010, local activists cut open the gates and appropriated the formerly embargoed site for urban agriculture. However, the Hayes Valley Farm is officially only temporary: under the adopted ‘Market-Octavia Neighborhood Plan’ vacant Hickory Street block is to be re-filled with residential housing.
This studio explored an alternative future for the site: one which acknowledges the disruption of the freeway, but one which seeks to explore the possibilities latent in the site as we find it today, and to not simply stitch up the void with the status quo as if nothing ever happened. The challenge is to transition the site from self organized temporary urban agriculture to a permanent public open space which draws on this recent land use, but also accommodates a wide variety of other amenities as expected of a public park
The city block bordered by Octavia Boulevard, Fell, Laguna and Oak Streets, and partially incised by Hickory Street, has had a difficult recent history. Originally an intact residential block situated within a contiguous urban fabric, the properties on the site were resumed and demolished in the 1960’s to accommodate off/on ramps servicing the freeway that was constructed over Octavia Street. Due to structural earthquake damage and a changing tide in attitudes towards inner city freeways, the double deck structure was systematically removed, and much of the resultant void was reinvigorated as Octavia Boulevard. Having lain fallow for several decades, in 2010, local activists cut open the gates and appropriated the formerly embargoed site for urban agriculture. However, the Hayes Valley Farm is officially only temporary: under the adopted ‘Market-Octavia Neighborhood Plan’ vacant Hickory Street block is to be re-filled with residential housing.
This studio explored an alternative future for the site: one which acknowledges the disruption of the freeway, but one which seeks to explore the possibilities latent in the site as we find it today, and to not simply stitch up the void with the status quo as if nothing ever happened. The challenge is to transition the site from self organized temporary urban agriculture to a permanent public open space which draws on this recent land use, but also accommodates a wide variety of other amenities as expected of a public park
Yolanta Siu
Tianyu Guan
Eva Phe
