The Transamerica Building in San Francisco is a landmark building that marks the intersection of the Financial District, North Beach, and Jackson Square. Recently I was in the neighborhood for a meeting, which was my first time since the completion of a renovation of the Transamerica Building, led by architecture firm Foster + Partners.
I found myself with some extra time before my meeting and decided to check out the new lobby. The design is understated, elegant, and modern. But what really captivated my attention is a small gallery known as Pyramid Arts that is tucked away on the back side of the building and accessed through a separate entrance.
In full transparency, I only came across it because I inquired about a public washroom. My search for the washroom turned out to be serendipitous because it led me through the gallery which has so much going for it – besides a classy restroom that exceeds every expectation for a public washroom.
The first thing that is evident is the way the gallery nestles into the Transamerica Redwood Park. Anytime I can connect to redwood trees, I automatically feel a calming sense of perspective, even in the middle of an urban environment.
The next thing of course is the art. The current exhibit called Strategems is a series of sculptures by Tara Donnovan, using recycled CDs as her medium.
Sculpted columns of CDs seem to mimic the trunks of the redwood trees outside the windows. Daylight coming through windows on all sides bounces off the CDs and enlivens the sculptures and the entire space.
After this intense light exposure, a more dimly lit side of the gallery where there is a fascinating time capsule exhibit was a nice relief. The way the exhibit is designed made me feel like I was inside a time capsule myself, in a good way!
The display includes contents of the time capsule that was retrieved during this recent renovation, as well as photos that document the construction of the building and little glimpses of San Francisco in the 1970s.
When I visited a few months ago, the Earthseed Dome by Lily Kwong was under construction in the Redwood Park. I look forward to returning to see how it’s grown in.
The Transamerica Building is a bold architectural statement, and I’ve always appreciated the way it orients me when I see it from different parts of the city. However, the smaller, more intimate scale of the gallery appeals to my sense of space on a human level.
The angular roof line has a quirky futuristic quality that is rooted in the 1970s. To me, it creates a very pleasant setting to view art and to contemplate the ever-evolving use of space and objects in space, like CDs.
If you have a space with evolving needs and would like to talk with me about your interior design project, click the link below to get in touch.
share it
email it