City and County of San FranciscoSan Francisco Arts Commission

May 17, 2010

Civic Design Review Committee - May 17, 2010



CIVIC DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE
Monday, May 17, 2010
3:00 p.m.
25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 70

Minutes

Commissioners present: Leo Chow, Cass Calder Smith, Astrid Haryati
Staff present: Vicky Knoop

 

Call to order: 2:55

 

  1. 525 Golden Gate - Phase 3
    Brook Mebrahtu, Project Manager, DPW introduced Ryan Stevens, Project Designer, KMD and Ned Kahn, Artist. He explained that the project was started in 2001 and has been stalled due to cost. The building will house 1000 PUC employees and is on track for LEED Platinum certification.?

    Mr. Stevens presented the perspectives of the structure. He explained that the southern side of the building will integrate daylight technologies including shading devices that track the sun and will roll up and disappear when necessary. The entry has an integrated interior/exterior with greenery as part of the sustainable strategy.?

    Mr. Kahn explained that the tower on the north focuses the wind into the turbines and will move the art work.  As movement occurs, each of the small panels will light up. ?

    Mr. Stevens added that the large facade will emit minimal light pollution. He presented the materials and explained that the box portion of the building is white granite with two finishes. The metal used is a warm grey aluminum that is not intended to be too light or too blue.?

    Commissioner Smith asked if the structure and glass was a true curve or faceted.?

    Mr. Stevens responded that it is faceted, but very slightly and will not be noticeable to most.?

    Commissioner Smith asked if there were vertical mullions.?

    Mr. Stevens replied there are not. ?

    Commissioner Smith asked about the construction and materials of Ned Kahn's artwork. ?

    Mr. Kahn replied that the pieces that move are a hinged polycarbonate. There will be a one by one horizontal beams for support. It will look like highly fragmented glass wall that is moved by the wind.  The backside is a curved glass membrane.  ?

    Mr. Mebrahtu explained that the turbines and sun will provide 8.5% of the building's energy needs. ?

    Commissioner Smith asked if the cost of the environmental measures was worth the energy savings.?

    Mr. Mebrahtu responded that since the PUC is the provider of power, it is an expression of the types of alternative power sources they use. ?

    Commissioner Haryati asked about the programming and interactivity of the ground planes.?

    Mr. Stevens replied that they are telling the story of the building and it's sustainability with the publicly accessible lobby.  They are working with a variety of people including exhibit designers. ?

    Commissioner Chow asked what the changes have been in the public realm since Phase 2.?

    Mr. Stevens said that the only changes have been in the the planting and paving.  ?

    Motion to approve Phase 3 of 525 Golden Gate Avenue:Commissioner Haryati
    Vote: Unanimously approved.




  2. Forest Hill Pump Station Upgrade: Phase 2
    Laura Mitchell Joe, Architect, DPW BOA explained that the project will seismically upgrade the pump station. He presented the site photos and perspectives.  He explained that the letters on the west face are now recessed and the building has been simplified per the Commissioners suggestions. ?

    Mr. Bulkley presented the landscape and explained that there has been some regrading and screening.  The existing chain link fence will be replaced by a metal picket fence.  He said that the planting includes bamboo which the gardeners reuse in other places. ?

    Commissioner Smith suggested that the last two panels on the building match the far left side and the design team remove the recess. ?

    Commissioner Chow asked about the bollards.  ?

    Mr. Joe explained that that there is a small curb instead of bollards.?

    Commissioner Chow suggested making the curb planter larger.?

    Motion to approve Phase 2 of the Forest Hill Pump Station Upgrade with the contingency of modifying the planter and removing the curb and recess around the building: Commissioner Smith?
    Vote: Unanimously approved.



  3. Crystal Springs Pump Station - Phase 3
    Anastasios Mavroudis, Project Director, introduced the Crystal Springs project and explained that there are two buildings being reviewed, the pump station and control building. ?

    Mike Pierron, Architect, DPW BOA explained that the pump station is rarely going to be seen. He presented the Phase 2 and Phase 3 elevation and the continuous band around the top of the building.  The site is under the Eugene A. Doran Bridge near the Crystal Springs Dam. He explained that the basic materials are stucco and concrete.  He said that there are no skylights because of issue of debris falling from the bridge. He added that the landscaping will be all natural restoration. ?

    Commissioner Smith suggested that the entry be reduced. ?

    Mr. Pierron responded that they would like to have a formal entry to the site.  ?

    Mr. Mavroudis responded that the entire site is restricted. ?

    Commissioner Chow commented that they should keep it really simple.  The function wants to be organized and clean.?

    Commissioner Smith suggested adding a door that is the same height as the roll up door on the side. ?

    Commission Chow suggested that the doors all be the same height with addition of louvres.?

    ?Motion to approve Phase 3 of the Crystal Springs Pump Station with the contingency of removing the portal from the end of the building and extending the height of the door up to the score line: Chow
    Vote: Unanimously approved.



  4. Crystal Springs Control Building - Phase 3
    Mike Pierron, Architect, DPW BOA explained the control building's conditions from the February Civic Design meeting had been integrated into the design.  The project has brought the ground cover up to the building, removed the scupper, and made the parapet level.  The material is board form concrete and the goal is for the building to function as a sculptural element along the trail.?

    Commissioner Smith commented that there are some points in which the concrete walls are too close the the interior metal box.  ?

    Commissioner Smith added that the gravel should be a gravel band. ?

    Commissioner Chow added that the paving needs to be revised.  ?

    Mr. Pierron explained that the gravel around the building would be river rock to distinguish from the gravel driveway. He presented the materials. ?

    Commissioner Smith said that the asphalt should come up to the building. He added that they should do a steel edging for the river rock instead of concrete.?

    Commissioner Chow suggested that the river rock come up to the duct bank and remove the strip of green and let the gravel come up to the duct line.?

    Commissioner Chow suggested that the key card reader be set into the concrete.?

    ??Motion to approve Phase 3 of the Crystal Springs Control Building with the contingency to have a minimum one foot distance between the steel wall and end of the concrete wall, to revise the paving and river rock, and to remove the small strip of grass: Commissioner Chow. ?
    Vote: Unanimously approved.



  5. Motion to approve changes to the Art Enrichment Allocation report to include disclosure about existing artwork and to require project teams to work with the Civic Art Collection staff if the existing artwork will be affected by construction: Commissioner Smith
    Vote: unanimously approved

  6. New Business: There was no new business.


  7. Adjournment: 6:10 p.m.

vmk 7/27/10