Commitment 08Read more
City-Port Interface
The City-Port Interface: A Resource for Diverse Development Projects
Revising the status of port and City Port heritage to properly reflect the site’s historical significance.
How can residents, visitors, and businesses be attracted to Port City heritage zones?
Heritage is a complex concept which refers not just to the background of a building or site but also gives the port-city its place in history and identity. While renovating existing architecture and port heritage may cost more than building new constructions, it is important to consider the possibilities of enhancing the port city’s attractiveness and identity, providing a visible link between the past and present. Overall, it is important to consider different audiences and use simple, everyday language to communicate clearly and concisely. In San Francisco, a 100-year-old warehouse has been used since the 70s as a cultural space for the city.
Developed in a warehouse at Pier 2, the Fort Mason Center is a modern, sustainable building that also aims to preserve local heritage. The warehouse was built in 1912 in the northern sector of the San Francisco waterfront. It was part of the US Army’s Fort Mason, a facility that for nearly 50 years served as an embarkation port for military personnel bound for the Pacific. During World War II, it served as all of America’s other military ports combined in the months after the USA entered the conflict. The US Army closed Fort Mason in the 1960s, and its ownership was transferred to the National Park Service (NPS) in 1972. In 1977, a non-profit organisation, the Fort Mason Center, was created to turn the buildings into an arts centre. Since then, the Center has hosted exhibitions and events, such the Museo Italo Americano, The Magic Theater, Tech events, and the UN Environmental Day of 2005.
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