Today is the beginning of week two of the tenth annual Architecture and the City festival, the nation's largest architectural festival of its kind. The festival is put on by a slew of organizations, but the top dogs are the Center for Architecture + Design and AIA San Francisco. Each year, bazillions (well, more like 40) of architectural events are planned throughout the city, like walking tours, the very popular home tours, exhibitions, lectures and more. You can see all of the upcoming events here, and we selected some of our favorites below.
- Who Designed That? | September 10, 6-9pm
A new festival event, Who Designed That? is an interactive trivia night for design professionals from all industries, with categories including architecture, objects, art, fashion and more. We'll be liveblogging the event if you can't make it. If you are there, do stop by and say hello. We'll be the ones with the brightly lit laptop.
- Behind the Scenes at The Mill | September 12, 3-5pm
Seth Boor, AIA (Boor Bridges Architecture) will explain the design process behind The Mill, a joint venture café with Josey Baker Bread and Four Barrel.
- GOOD Design Challenges | September 12, 6-9pm
Hear from design leaders sharing their proposed solutions to some of our most pressing urban issues at GOOD Design. Ogrydziak / Prillinger Architects will present on pedestrian safety, and SOM will share ideas on how to create enhanced childcare opportunities in the city.
- Walking Tour of Jefferson Street at Fisherman's Wharf | September 13, 3-5pm
Urban designer Neil Hrushowy, of the SF Planning department, will explain the strategies set to revitalize Jefferson Street at the heart of Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco's most visited destination.
- Walk and Play Urban Putt | September 14, 1-3pm
Play through the Transamerica Tower windmill hole at Urban Putt, a one-time mortuary turned miniature golf course located in the Mission. Designed by architect Matt Hollis, in collaboration with former CNET and PC World editor Steve Fox and industrial designers Anne Mayoral and Christopher Myers, Urban Putt also features a restaurant and bar.
- Today's Chinatown | September 24, 3-5pm
Architect Philip Choy, author of the recent San Francisco Chinatown: A Guide to Its History and Architecture, will give a comprehensive tour of Chinatown's unexpected architectural treasures.
- Transformation of Central Market | September 25, 3-5pm
This walking tour will explore projects along the Central Market corridor - both approved and under consideration - with members of the San Francisco Planning Department.
- Lecture with Craig Dykers, AIA of Snøhetta | September 23, 6-8pm
Dykers, one of the founders of Oslo-based Snøhetta, is currently leading the design of the SFMOMA expansion and waterfront Golden State Warriors arena in San Francisco.
- San Francisco Living: Home Tours | September 28+29, 10am-4pm
The San Francisco Living: Home Tours weekend returns September 28-29. Throughout the weekend, participants can view a wide variety of architectural styles and residences in neighborhoods across the city, as well as hear architects discuss the design inspiration and process behind their work.
- Unbuilt San Francisco: Grand Visions | On View through October 25
Grand Visions is part of a collaborative five-venue exhibition that includes the Environmental Design Archives at UC Berkeley, California Historical Society, SPUR and the San Francisco Public Library. The exhibition features a diverse collection of original work that juxtaposes outlandish unbuilt plans for the region that went unrealized with 'on the boards' designs which will, in time, have a major impact on our city.