San Francisco Terrain, Conor Fennessy

I got some feedback from the blog! That's great!
I want to thank Conor Fennessy, an Art and Antiques dealer, by posting his work and to show the creativity that exist in the Avenue.

Conor Fennessy Antiques & Design
801 Columbus Avenue
San Francisco, California 94133 U.S.A.


> San Francisco Terrain
>
> San Francisco Terrain is a 10²x 10 ³ gypsum tile depicting the topography of
> the city limits. The piece has recently been released as a limited-edition and
> is sold at Conor Fennessy Antiques and Design in San Francisco.
>
> Fennessy, an interior designer and proprietor of Conor Fennessy Antiques and
> Design, said the piece is a recognition of what makes the city unique. ³When
> we walk through the city, it¹s hard to fully perceive the raw beauty of the
> land,² says Fennessy. ³The topography is a visceral experience of the shapes
> and contours that evolved over centuries. The city itself is a beauty that
> clings to the edge of the continent.²
>
> Jack Hirschman, San Francisco Poet Laureate, calls the piece ³an artistic
> celebration and paean to the beauty of the city.²
>
> In 2008, the San Francisco Mayor¹s Office of Protocol adopted the piece as a
> gift for visiting dignitaries.



> Looks like a painting,
> Feels like a sculpture,
> Reads like a map.
>
> What It is
> Is a 4th dimensional
> Abstract Expressionist
> sculpted painting
> that reads like a space map.
>
> If you try finding
> the space key,
> You'll have to look
> Here in the City Limits
> of San Francisco, the City
> we love.
>
> -Jack Hirschman,
> San Francisco Poet Laureate


I agree with both Connor and Jack about the topographic experience! It is obvious that San Francisco is know for its hills and steep streets: California St, Lombard St... But it´s so beautiful to find that contour lines actually shape our life experience so much!




I attach the Topography Map of Columbus Avenue.
Columbus Avenue draws a 1.20 mile diagonal from the Financial District in downtown to the Fisherman’s Wharf. It connects the Transamerica Building at the intersection of Montgomery and Washington Street to the Cannery Building at Beach Street. The road was not in the city’s original street grid and was designed and built in the late 19th century as one of two major avenues emanating from downtown. Its original purpose was to provide a link between the commercial district, now Jackson Square, and the north east waterfront fishing industry, and further to the northern highway that connected from North to Sausalito. Its diagonal shape in the rectangular grid of the City reveals a perfect topography study between the Telegraph Hill, Russian Hill, and Nob Hill.

I feels good to live in a Map!!

San Francisco Neighborhood Name-Game

I don´t normally buy the San Francisco Chronicle every day when I get on Bart (even though it's cheaper), but I did on Friday. I wanted to have thee metropolis feeling in my daily commute. And I did. :)

I found an article about SF Neighborhoods, about their names and boundaries. Apparently, San Francisco Association of Realtors (you can find the link here) is going to update the real state map (2005). In this new map coming up this summer, the Financial District will become the Barbary Coast, and the Western Addition will be NoPa (North Panhandle).

I wanted to upload some maps that I've been working in this year to share them, so that we can see the Financial District- Barbary Coast dilemma, and then you can decide, give an opinion:
US Coast Survey 1853.
Columbus Avenue didn´t exist yet and the shore line was up to Montgomery Street and California Street:


The superimposition of the existing GIS Map and the 1853 map explains how the Finacial District was in deed a place for pirates (ironic, right?)



The existing Zoning direct the land use of the City, therefore some commercial districts have define an identity from the land use allowed. In the case of North Beach and Barbary Coast i would guess that it´s been the other way around, the regulations came after the character of the neighborhood. I guess this requires specific study for each case, look for the History and stories of our cities...


My first reaction was to think in which world we live that real state practitioners give names to our cities? How does this work? Is it always been like that? Is this the "normal" way of shaping, and naming our cities? (I really appreciate some answers and opinions). For me, it explains perfectly the concept of "urban branding". It helps understand the fact that citizens identify themselves with the places where they live; understand the concept of identity; and also understand the strategy for development: to increase land value, and to attract investors ($)to certain parts of the cities.

It has been a relief to google the article this morning and find out that there is a opposed reaction from SFranciscans about it in the comments of SF Gate and in other blogs (SFist). It was fun to go to a list of neighborhoods that people have created as a reaction about the article. I think it´s a great tool to know about a city and the character of its citizens. I´m really hoping to see the final map soon! I´m sure the boundaries of the neighborhoods will be another battle to fight!