SF Downtown 0.1 – A downtown for people
Building on my previous blog post The spatial dynamics, planning background and many contrasts of San Francisco, it is a fact that the downtown of the city has been enormously hit by the pandemic and the decline is more than obvious.
San Francisco’s recovery is falling behind most major American cities and the metrics are not looking optimistic. This unfortunate situation, however, offers an opportunity for a second chance. The downtown gets to rise from its ashes, reinvent itself and it might as well do so, since there is no way back.
New visionary paths should be drawn to create a place for all and ultimately, give the downtown back to the people. The new vision includes a new framework for the growth, enhancement, and preservation of downtown, balancing livability, safety, daylight, walkability, transit first, climate change preparedness, access to open space and a dynamic mix of uses.
The downtown will become an urban neighbourhood that glues the surrounding areas and the waterfront together, whilst encouraging flows in and out of its premises. It will evolve and change in ways that reflect the new needs and patterns of work, living and socialising.
This blog post shares a short brochure-style study, shown below, for a revived downtown that retains its glorious character, remains active all day long, whilst reinventing itself into an inclusive place for stimulating experiences.
Please reach out to hello@stelakontogianni.com if you want to share your thoughts on this blog post.
