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On June 16, 2025, board members of Docomomo US/Northern California (NOCA) attended a key stakeholder meeting with staff of the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department (SFRPD) and a representative from BXP to discuss the Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park Renovation Project. The meeting discussed the project’s goals, timeline, and challenges, with a particular focus on the future of the Vaillancourt Fountain and Embarcadero Plaza.
Advocate for the preservation of San Francisco’s historic Embarcadero Plaza and the iconic Vaillancourt Fountain at the critical July 8 community meeting. Learn how you can help protect these Modernist landmarks—integral to the city’s identity—and ensure their legacy for future generations. RSVP now to make your voice heard and support real preservation efforts in downtown San Francisco.
On Friday, May 23, Embarcadero Plaza hosted community members, art enthusiasts, and supporters of modern architecture for a Plaza Picnic, an event organized by Docomomo US/NOCA. The occasion marked a special welcome for the Vaillancourt family, who traveled from Québec and honored the enduring legacy of the Vaillancourt Fountain—a beloved yet endangered landmark in San Francisco. In addition to the Vaillancourt family, Lawrence Halprin's daughter Rana, activist, and Alcatraz occupier Robert Free, SFRPD project manager Eoanna Harrison Goodwin, Supervisor District 1's chief of staff, friends from SF Heritage, and The Cultural Landscape Foundation, as well as artists, skateboarders, and people who shared personal stories of the plaza and fountain over the past 50 years.
Docomomo Northern California was thrilled to join the conversation about some of the best of Downtown San Francisco’s Modernist skyscrapers with Heritage’s Woody LaBounty and our own Board President Barrett Reiter and Board Member Ted Barrow!
Experience the artistry of Ruth Asawa beyond the museum with Docomomo US/Northern California’s new self-guided tour. Discover Asawa’s iconic fountains and public sculptures throughout the San Francisco Bay Area using our interactive map. Perfect for art lovers inspired by the SFMOMA retrospective, this tour invites you to walk in Asawa’s footsteps and see the city through her creative vision.
Join the effort to preserve San Francisco's iconic Embarcadero Plaza and Vaillancourt Fountain, a Modernist landmark of art, architecture, and free speech. Learn about its history, threats, and how you can advocate for its future
Explore Docomomo-US Northern California’s 2024 highlights, including walking tours, home visits, and advocacy efforts celebrating the Bay Area’s modern architecture and design.
A Reflection on the 2024 National Symposium Miami - concrete, graffiti, climate change, and preservation.
The Northern California (NOCA) Chapter of Docomomo US is pleased to announce Jingyi Luo as the recipient of the 2024 Docomomo US/NOCA Symposium Travel Grant.
More Modernism than ever in 2023! After a few challenging years during the Covid-19 pandemic and readjusting to new realities, 2023 was possibly our busiest year yet! This year we ran nine walking tours, two building tours, and our annual travel grant program, and presented at the Docomomo National Symposium, advocated for the legacy of Paffard Keatinge-Clay, and just hosted our second annual holiday party!
Willis built her practice in San Francisco and made many notable contributions to the city., including Vine Terrace Apartments and the San Francisco Ballet Building.
Discover the unexpected intersection of skateboarding and Late Modernist architecture in Theodore Barrow’s reflection on the Docomomo US National Symposium. Explore how skateboarders interact with iconic Modernist spaces, challenging preservation norms and offering new perspectives on architectural history. Barrow examines the paradoxical appeal of these structures and their potential for adaptive reuse in urban environments
The Northern California (NOCA) Chapter of Docomomo US is pleased to announce Ted Barrow as the recipient of the 2023 Docomomo US/NOCA Symposium Grant.
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Paffard Keatinge-Clay, architect of several Modernist buildings in California from the 1960s and 70s, including sculptural Brutalist addition to SFAI, the SFSU Student Union, and Kaiser French Campus.
Join us in welcoming Chad DeWitt and Ethen Wood to the Docomomo US/Northern California board!
Watch a recording of the “Modernism in San Francisco Chinatown” presentation given at the Docomomo US National Symposium.
Our very own Docomomo US/NOCA board member Cord Struckmann stars in this episode of USModernist Radio--the always entertaining and educational podcast devoted to Modern architecture.
We can't thank our hosts at the Case Study House #26 and all of our members enough for making this event possible!
For Tour Day 2022, Docomomo US/Northern California explored the strange, dizzying, and wonderful urbanism of John Portman's Embarcadero Center.
Thank you for support and signing the petition to save the Modernist former San Jose City Hall! With your help, we were able to avoid imminent demolition.
Yo! I am Shelby Kendrick, the immensely grateful recipient of the Docomomo US/Northern California Travel Grant. In June, I had the pleasure of attending “Yo! Modernism,” the 2022 National Symposium in Philadelphia.
The Docomomo US Northern California (NOCA) Chapter is pleased to announce Shelby Kendrick as the recipient of the 2022 Docomomo US/NOCA Symposium Grant.
Watch one of these short seven minute videos about a Northern California Modernist architect, building, or site.
Explore Modernist architecture and adaptive reuse by top tier Modernist architects, landscape architects, and graphic designers on San Francisco’s North Waterfront at your own pace with this self-guided tour.
Kadia Bah, 2021 Docomomo US/NOCA Symposium Grant recipient, reflects on her experience attending this year’s virtual symposium.
Discover the best books on Northern California Modernism with Docomomo NOCA’s curated list. From Eichler homes to San Francisco’s urban design, these essential reads explore iconic architects, hidden gems, and the region’s unique architectural style. Perfect for architecture enthusiasts and those looking to deepen their knowledge of Bay Area design.
Docomomo US/Northern California is excited to announce two symposium grants have been awarded to Kadia Bah and Andrea Schurmann.
Explore the newly launched Beverley D Thorne archive on Docomomo Northern California’s website. Discover the life and works of this pioneering ‘Man of Steel,’ including his famous Dave Brubeck House, Case Study House #26, and innovative steel-framed designs. Dive into California Modernism’s rich history through this comprehensive collection.