120 Howard This 9-story, Class A office building in the South Financial District of San Francisco near the Embarcadero waterfront provides excellent pedestrian access to the amenities of the surrounding areas for its tenants. Working with the client’s desire to enhance this pedestrian experience through the accessible alley at the rear of the building parallel to Spear Street, the design focused on making the alley a desirable place to not only pass through but to stay and have lunch or meet a colleague. Using the palette of existing conditions and drawing from the waterfront pier structures nearby, the alley is re-surfaced with a wood deck, bringing a site specific, soft, and acoustical character not currently found in few if any urban downtown spaces. The sculptural boulder seats, reminiscent of the waterfront, guide visitors into the reconfigured alley, terminating with a bold papyrus planting against a brightly colored yellow wall. At night, a glowing line of light draws one into this pocket of pedestrian delight. Credits Client: Broadway Partners Landscape Architect: Landscape Office Ltd. Design Architect: Cesar Pelli Associates Architect: Brereton Architects Year Completed: Current « back to portfolio index