The Square. Union Square San Francisco. Store Design. This is a blog about Retail Store Design and Lifestyle in Squres or City Centers. Though we will first focus on Union Square San Francisco, Interior Architecture and Storefronts, while we also hope we can expand to other Town Squares, High streets or shopping areas of interest in the future.
Recently I was positively surprised at night around 5:00 at how well Union Square, San Francisco looked, as a result I realized I had to write this blog. It is true some stores in the district are gone and some storefronts are barricaded. Yet the actual Square, not the district looked great. Although there are lows after changes or because of them there will be upward as a contrast.In conclusion if we all pitch in things will get better.
As an Architect to one of the Corners of Union Square, I always like to visit and analyze. The building portion and storefront I designed in 1983 is still there though the Brand and product changed (from Aca Joe to Swarovski), at the corner of Geary and Powell. It was 40 years ago I opened the Aca Joe store, it had been a quick job 6 months or so from Planning to completion, because we had friends doing the expediting. The party was a success. Even Cyril Magnin (1899-1988) a SF institution attended, in his 90’s while he had his namesake Depsrtment Magnin’s store on the other corner of the block, consequently now he has a street named after him.
The Public Square. Another San Francisco Sub-Center is the Transamerica Pyramid a Landmark and part of the Jackson Square district.
In 1967 I had come to San Francisco for the Summer of Love (Janis Joplin, The Doors, Santana, at Fillmore West and Avalon Ballroom). PS (the richest Junior at the time in Mexico City) and I stayed in a little hotel off Union Square, so I would usually walk the square before going to sleep as a result I have fond memories.. Wow what a difference time makes. 55 years.
Coming back in 1983, when I had already done 10 Stores for Aca Joe in Mexico City, Acapulco, Cancun, PV, et. I would stay at my tenderloin Hotel, The Clift! Gradually I moved to Pacific Heights and then Tiburon, and stayed til now..
We did many Aca Joe Stores in the Bay Area and Worldwide……..Aca Joe blog on Stores worldwide and San Francisco
So I come back and walk around the square when I can. So much bad news, but I would say there is good news too. There is police, I talked to one and mentioned things looked really calm, and he said wait till tomorrow (APEC happening Biden, and 20 other Presidents, et.)
In San Francisco too will describe the other Squares that form a part of Downtown: The Embarcadero Center, The Transbay or Salesforce center; The Transamerica Pyramid Landmark inJackson Square, and other intersting spaces ralated to the area.
Union Square Architecture and stores.
The famous corners and buildings. Perhaps best know was Neiman Marcus in its good days when Philipe Johnson† (Seagrams with Mies, ATT NY, 101 California) did the beautiful glass corner, while I.M. Pei did the Hyatt tower (Louver, Paris) both PJ and IP the highest rated American architect of the late 20th. century.
And now at Stockton and Post the Apple Flagship store by Lord Norman Foster (arguably top 5 if not best world practice, Apple Ring in Cupertino), the classics are also there, Tiffany (now part of LVMH) with 2023 Black Rolls Royce, Saks corner building (does CS own it now?) the Saint Francis Hotel, and the Louis Vuitton corner store. So it is a pride to have my corner store Architecture there, together with some of the best Architect and Brand in the World.
The Square. Union Square San Francisco Aca Joe store at the corner of Geary and Powell, Union Square San Francisco in 1984.
The glass elevation was designed to take hurricane wind-loads and earthquake. The Awning attached to the glass were first in the world then too.
Next let’s look at all the Brands and Stores, in Union Square SF. We don’t list them all percentages only the most notable.
The Square. Union Square San Francisco 2023 Stores. From left, Saks Fifth Avenue Department store; Macys department store; Neiman Marcus department store.
The Square. Union Square San Francisco 2023 Stores. From left, Tiffanys, Apple. In between not shown Williams Sonoma.
The Square. Union Square San Francisco 2023 Stores. Top Louis Vuitton, below Nike, and the Rolls Royce. Blade sign seen for Zara. Off the Square
The Square. Union Square San Francisco 2023 Stores. From left Swarovski formerly Aca Joe (Facade by Jerry Jacobs Design©); Victoria Secret.
Rolls Royce parked first by Tiffany & Co. had to be moved around for my photos but it is nice as a result to have to make Union Square look more Elegant.
My friend Michael P. and I were attending an event, we do what we can to support the office of the Mayor, that Thursday we decided to attend the one for”100 Stockton Street” by Convene and City of San Francisco, two help revitalize Union Square, so though we had other invitations as a result we decided to attend the one from Convene for 100 Stockton.
The building was recently remodeled by Gensler Architects, it used to be Macy’s Mens department. now Retail Space is available at the ground floor and the upper levels are fitted by Convene through the wise Interior Architecture by Gensler American Caviar, we keep having met a a great designer from Lewisham, London.
Encore is an excellent host, the event was nicely organized and the catering was excellent. We cannot list all the goodies but here are 2 we liked.Gray WHALE Gin, Handcrafting Authentic California Gin, excellent Cocktails I choose a Negroni; Tsar Nicoulai, sustainable CAVIAR, we kept having more and more; also great were the Chocolates, what else can you say. Great reception.
On our way to the event we stopped briefly at Carolina Herrera store on Grant. What a nice and well designed store congratulations CH, we were kindly tour through it by associate Daniel Matchain, who was very proud of the great design contributions. I understand a Spanish Architect and built by Buildgroup.
Below is a list of Stores right on Union Square, listed alphabetically. Followed by other nearby stores, Hotels and Restaurants on the Union Square district. Radius. Also some stores, hotels and Restaurants that have left but were great at one time.
In conclusion Events are above all contribution to bring people into a district, and also create good will and familiarity.
Lord Norman Foster. The reopening of the SF Transamerica Pyramid happened 9.12.24. By chance I happened to come to one of the events. Questions and answers by the Monocle Editor to Lord Norman Foster who’s office was in charge of the project, and Michael Shvo the developer.
The talk obviously focused in part on William Perreira the Architect of the pyramid and many other buildings. But later the focus was on Town Planning, Centers and how to make Downtown areas more successful, and came around to Mixed use. One of my passions.
I had to say a few words to Lord Foster. Thank you for the 40-50 years of the beautiful Architecture I have enjoyed so much and learned most from. Thank you for what you have done for our profession.
An inportant element in the success of the Cities and Squares is injecting human traffic through Events. Like a party. Like an Exhibition, The Party was great and capped by a fabulous light show. Laser Projections over one side of the Pyramid by A3VISUAL.com from whom I met Breanna Clapp a member of the team, who kindly took my photo with the Pyramid background.
San Francisco’s Transamerica Pyramid highlighted with a lasser show on 9/12/24
Let’s Glow SF 2024. Will present Laser Proyection shows from 12/6 to 12/15, over 6-7 high-rise building all around Downtown SF. For further detail please go to their website @ Let’s Glow SF 2024.12/6-12/15, go to https://downtownsf.org/things-to-do/lets-glow-sf
The day went on to a night party we attended and the fantastic Laser Projection Show over the PYRAMID by A3 VISUAL
Above all Architecture is my passion. A Mixed use or a mixed use event because of the importance of the Landmark, our times and our city, and as Lord Foster would attend a gallery presentation was planned andconsequently one to attend and enjoy.
Norman Foster Highrise Models exhibition at the Transamerica Pyramid Gallery.
Now for me visisting this exhibition while traveling or knwing about it would be worth my time. Moreover The Pompidou Center in Paris did a more comprehensive exhibition of the wok of Lord Norman Foster. Exhibitions and Museums, Galleries are all destinations. A path leads to them, they are in a district (downtown) with edges, and nodes at aCity Landmark.
So there was the Synergy of Space and People. The Store, Fashion and Shopping overcame me and I started doing Store Design. According to K. Lynch the componenets of the city are paths, edges, districts, nodes and landmarks. What I call Centers, Lynch called Nodes. A center is a bigger node than a subcenter.
The Synergy of use. As pointed out by N. Foster Mixed Use is essential for success, in conclusion needs to exist.
I meet Mario at INFONAVIT, the newly created (1972) Housing Fund in Mexico. I was an Intern while I was studying Architecture and Mario was my supervisor. It was a very nice relationship from which I learned a lot. Mario had just returned from completing his Masters degree in Environmental design at U.C. Berkeley. He introduced me Kevin Lynch, Christopher Alexander, Ian McCarg, Donald Appelyard, Laurence helper, and others. Consequently it was like I was taking his degree.
Mario and I worked together, his idea and direction my work on a Chart for New Towns, where we broke down some of the land use. It was published under my name. (I guess it was Political I was related to the Director of the fund so they wanted to befriend me, I guess). So that was that. I finished my internship and moved on. I have always remaind grateful to him for sharing his knowledge with me.
New Towns. I took the New Town study Tour of British New Towns from the TCPA (Town and Country Planning Association). I focused on Centers. I understood then that Mixed Use made things happen, in the UK, most likely the center was there in the old town and include a Church, a postal office, a drug store, probably a sports center or facility, a PUB, and was close to the railroad station. So there was the Synergy of Space and People. The Store, Fashion and Shopping overcame me and I started doing Store Design.
The Image is the City. According to K. Lynch the componenets of the city are paths, edges, districts, nodes and landmarks. Also I would add a dynamic Crowds or groups of people that make a place alive, or likewise to make you feel company around you. And the posibility of synergy.
Base in Marin was a very successful Restaurant Designer and an Artist as we’ll. Early in our careers we talked of merging our two Marin Companies, him restaurants, me stores. He was way more successful than I…But it would have of course been creative.
Eric Designed Vertigo, a restaurant where the now NF exhibition runs.. You can see the top of the Pyramid with the beautiful Perspective from below and because of it achieve Vertigo. I was only there once and saw Eric, so coming back to the space in summary has brought him back too. Memories. It is in Michael Shvo plans, to open new Restaurants in the Transamerica Park, above all we wish them success.
9.29.24 Why the Ferry Building may be ‘the great hope of San Francisco
9.28.24 Revamped Transamerica Pyramid benches quickly become skating hotspot
Thank you to my clients. I tremendously enjoyed the process.
Jerry Jacobs Design. San Francisco . Belvedere-Tiburon. CA+1.415.435.0520. www.jerryjacobsdesign.com
JACOBS DESIGN, INC. © 2024
