News

Event, Education, Advocacy and Activism Kevin Souza Event, Education, Advocacy and Activism Kevin Souza

Stand Up for San Francisco’s Modernist Icons: Join the July 8 Community Meeting!

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.

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Advocacy and Activism, Education, Event Kevin Souza Advocacy and Activism, Education, Event Kevin Souza

Plaza Picnic Celebrates Vaillancourt Fountain and Community Spirit

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.

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Education Kevin Souza Education Kevin Souza

Beverley D Thorne Archive Now Available

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.

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News, Education Hannah Lise Simonson News, Education Hannah Lise Simonson

Skate-Modernism

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

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News, Education, Region, Products, Theme, Architectural Style Kevin Souza Reviewer News, Education, Region, Products, Theme, Architectural Style Kevin Souza Reviewer

Travel and Leisure: Roadside Architecture - Driving Tour

Since 2021 is all about Travel & Leisure at Docomomo, we figured we would take a closer look at some of the amazing (and less publicized) Midcentury Modern examples of architecture that involve Northern California’s favorite mode of transport: automobiles. These structures pepper the map and are often forgotten about, so if you know of any good examples please read below how you can get in touch with us so we can include them in our next feature.

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News, Education, Late Modernism (1960s-1970s) Hannah Lise Simonson News, Education, Late Modernism (1960s-1970s) Hannah Lise Simonson

Virtual Tour Recap | 70s Turn 50

Recording of our 2020 Tour Day event - 70s Turn 50 Virtual Tour of Northern California. Can you believe it—the 1970s are now 50 years old! Our team has been hard at work locating, researching, and photographing buildings, sites, and landscapes of the '70s throughout Northern California in order to understand and appreciate this strange decade in American architecture.

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News, Education Hannah Lise Simonson News, Education Hannah Lise Simonson

Bay Area Documentaries on Modernism

Discover the best documentaries on Bay Area Modernism, covering architecture, art, and design. From Japanese American influences to iconic ceramics and pioneering architects, these films dive into Northern California’s rich modernist heritage. Explore the works of Ruth Asawa, Heath Ceramics, Joseph Eichler, and more through these captivating visual journeys.

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