Foster + Partners to transform power station in San Francisco

Foster + Partners is set to transform a former industrial site in San Francisco into a mixed-use waterfront neighbourhood comprising hotels, residences, shops, restaurants and up to seven acres of green space.

The Dogpatch Power Station – which recently broke ground – is bounded by the Dogpatch neighbourhood on one side and the waterfront on the other. The overall masterplan aims to stitch the site with the existing locale, reconnecting people with the waterfront and reenergising the area with homes, parks and jobs. As such, the practice has designed two residential-led, mixed-use buildings at the heart of the development, which seek to recreate an inclusive and diverse live/work community that includes affordable housing.

“This project offers a unique opportunity to reinvigorate an erstwhile industrial quarter and infuse new life into this part of San Francisco,” comments Armstrong Yakubu, Senior Partner at Foster + Partners. “Our proposals will deliver much-needed homes guided by a design approach that is underpinned by people, sustainability and community, and rooted in the rich history of the place. Our aim is to give Dogpatch an ideal urban framework to help create a vibrant, healthy and inclusive 21st century live/work community.”

Inspired by the traditional courtyards and alleyways in the area, the buildings are arranged around a central open space at ground level, lined with retail and amenities such as day-care centres and parcel delivery areas. Pedestrian and cycle routes meander through the spaces, creating new connections with the surrounding areas. With several social spaces and co-working areas, the lower floors are envisaged as a hive of activity.

The design is based on a series of interconnected two-storey elements within a modular organisational grid that allows for complete flexibility – both spatially and programmatically – coming together as a dynamic assembly of stepped blocks. The apartments have been carefully designed to maximise fresh air, natural light and access to the green landscaped terraces that travel up through the building. The new neighbourhood park is connected both visually and physically with the garden roof terraces overlooking San Francisco bay.