September 2018 | Eyesore

Commentary on architectural blunders in monthly serial.

Behold the new SanFrancisco Transit Hub fully loaded with “geek green” tech and LEED bullshit, as befits Internet Narcissism Central. It’s actually officially named the “Salesforce Transit Center” for the company that bought the naming rights (no advertising or PR niche can remain unoccupied!). The 5.5 acre “park” on the roof is a disaster-in-the-making (“green” hocus-pocus), since the trees and the grass must be watered, and sooner or later that water will find its way inside the building. (Herman Goering wanted to do the same thing on top of the Nazi Luftwaffe Ministry in Berlin, but the war prevented it.) Note, too, the park is not really a public space. Access is strictly controlled. The station is poorly connected to other transit stations, especially the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero, a half-mile across town. The interior (below) is the absolutely predicable Galactica theme, a sad reminder of the American Space Age, which is now over.

Thanks to Joel Bartell for the nomination.