The San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) has transformed a historic pier shed at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture into a 67,000-square-foot hub for artist studios and public engagement. Opening for Fall 2017, this new waterfront campus complements SFAI’s iconic Chestnut Street campus in nearby Russian Hill, combining extraordinary studio facilities for working artists with exhibition and presentation spaces that invite intimate experiences with the creative process. Take an exclusive architectural tour with Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects and Heather Hickman Holland, Associate Vice President for Operations & Facilities, San Francisco Art Institute, to go in-depth on the building’s restoration and transformation — conducted in partnership with the National Park Service, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and State Historic Preservation Office — which includes a new mezzanine level, integrated sustainable building systems, and the largest solar panel array on any National Park Service building.

2017 Architecture and the City Festival Poster

Add to your cart when checking out and receive a $5 refund on your ticket purchase!

2017 Architecture and the City Festival Tote Bag

Add to your cart when checking out and receive a $5 refund on your ticket purchase!

AIA San Francisco and the Center for Architecture + Design commissioned celebrated local artist Jennifer Clifford to create artwork embodying the Festival's theme and spirit of imagination and discovery across the design industries.

About the Artist

Jennifer Clifford was an interior designer for 10 years before deciding to pursue a full time art career. She has always been drawn to texture, the juxtaposition of pattern and bold color. In college, she developed a passion for collage art. Today, her work is a reflection of that passion, melded with the vibrant textiles and wallpapers she loved and used while practicing interior design. You can find Jenny and her work at art fairs and events around the Bay Area and her wholesale line of art prints are sold in stores throughout San Francisco including Terminals 2 and 3 at the San Francisco International Airport. In collaboration with Rickshaw Bagworks, Jennifer has a complete collection of her art featured on their locally-made tote bags that can be found online (www.jenniferclifford.net) and in various shops throughout the city.

Artist's Statement

The general concept behind the image created for the 14th Architecture + the City festival poster, is an attempt to reveal the many hidden layers of San Francisco. San Francisco is filled with many people and walks of life who each have their own perspective of the city, while other parts of the city remain unseen from the casual observer - the secret city. The upward movement of the image created follows a path, "the secret stairs", which serves as the gateway to connect the hidden details of San Francisco (found in the festival program), to the present urban community, to empower a more conscious and sustainable future.