Last week, the San Francisco chapter of the American Institute of Architects celebrated and awarded themselves with a gin-fueled soirée in SoMa. It's no surprise that Morphosis' Fed Building won an Honor Award as a "slender eighteen-story tower punctuating the San Francisco skyline" with a "democratic layout (that) rejects the corner office." Congrats, but whatevs— we all knew that one was coming. Let's move on to some of the other notable winners:
1) Designed by Brand + Allen Architects, 185 Post Street won not only an Honor Award, but also a spot at the top of today's re-cap by Chron architecture critic John King. While the judges kept it cool with the archi-speak— excerpt: "texture and history of the existing façade provide visual depth and detail that enriches the character of the glass skin"— King got a little hot and bothered, describing the building as "a skin-tight, see-through blouse." Eyebrows: raised, with much amusement.
2)The evening might as well been re-dubbed the Stanley Saitowitz / Natoma Architects Awards Ceremony, as the firm took home 5 total awards, including a Merit Award for 1234 Howard Street and an Honor Award for the restaurant, Conduit.
Designed by flamboyant architect Henry Hill, 2245 9th Avenue offers a mid-century alternative to the deluge of Victorians and SoMa lofts that flood the MLS endlessly. The kitchen has seen an update since then, and although some might elect to replace its more, shall we say, unique finishes, we find those idiosyncrasies quite charming. Other notable features include a pull-down screen in the family room and— get this— a redwood-paneled atrium with a retractable sunroof. 3 bedroom, 2.5 baths, $1,395,000 asking.
· 2245 9th Ave [MLS]
Back-to-back Libeskind action! So here they are, the plans for San Francisco's new Contemporary Jewish Museum designed by globetrotting architect Daniel Libeskind. Surprisingly reserved for Libeskind, but what the plans don't really communicate is the fact that there is only one single vertically straight wall in the entire building. Located in the first floor (lower image), this wall was DL's concession to the CJM staff. Almost everywhere else in the building, he's up to his usual spatially disorienting, curator-reviled trickery, albeit tempered in certain areas by the existing brick building. On the second floor, the larger main gallery highlights the intersection with the new building and the repurposed power station, and yes, while the walls are slightly askew, they're nothing like those in Libeskind's Berlin or Denver museums — buildings that make many less concessions.
· Curbed Inside Update: The Contemporary Jewish Museum Full Reveal [Curbed Inside}
· Curbed Inside: Contemporary Jewish Museum [Curbed SF]
· CurbedWire: Contemporary Jewish Museum Opening Revealed [Curbed SF]
After much hullaballoo then much delay and a little intra-firm drama, SFMOMA is finally ready to start construction on a new sculpture garden. Design by architect Mark Jensen of Jensen & Macey Architects Jensen Architects, the minimal yet materialicious addition to the museum includes a glass and fabric pavillion and black lava-rock walls. In the architect's own words: "SFMOMA’s sculpture garden will be an integral part of the Museum’s sequence of galleries. It will be an extension of the Museum, not a remote cul-de-sac. The garden is a gallery without a ceiling that can be curated." This integration will partially be accomplished by blasting out the back wall of the fifth floor and replacing it with a panoramic window, providing views of the garden from the interior gallery. Three Ginko trees will help break up the large plaza and improve the memory and concentration of the museum staffers. Construction kicks off next month, so take note: that pile of rocks you'll see isn't a Smithson or Goldsworthy — it's progress.
· That smashed wall at SFMOMA? Part of the plan. [SF Gate]
· SFMOMA Announces Winner of Sculpture Garden Architectural Competition [SFMOMA]
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After much hullaballoo then much delay and a little intra-firm drama, SFMOMA is finally ready to start construction on a new sculpture garden. Design by architect Mark Jensen of 
