As this Google Street View illustrates, the facade is now stainless steel, albeit the exact same design in terms of composition, perforations, and panel sizes.
[967 Howard Street | image source]
As the architect asserts on his web page (the project is labeled Soma House), "the heightened grittiness of the [South of Market] neighborhood -- ceaseless graffiti -- has necessitated a complete material transformation of the facade of the 4,500 sf courtyard house. A screen of stainless-steel panels is replacing the Cor-ten steel in a move to adapt to the new urban condition rather than fight it." According to his web page, this iteration was completed in 2008.
Update 04.13: Here's a photo I found on flickr that shows the intermediate condition, when the lower portion of the Cor-ten steel facade was painted to cover the graffiti.
Noooo!!!! Embrace the graffiti! Graff is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI liked the previous facade better - it's more elegant.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I like the previous facade better. I even like the painted facade better, the stainless steel make the building look more conventional for some reason.
ReplyDeleteWhat?! No. Why would they pick the Stainless steel over the colored facade. Who cares about graffiti. They clearly haven't gone to Rome. If they made this change in Rome all the historical churches and monuments would be steel clad instead of marble. They should keep the old facade regardless.
ReplyDeleteSeattle Architects Coates Design specializes in green building and sustainable design.
Perhaps they had complaints about sun reflection?
ReplyDeleteGroup Purchase Online