Justin Herman Plaza facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Embarcadero Plaza |
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The plaza in 2009
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| Open | 1972 |
| Public transit access | BART and Muni, Embarcadero station |
Embarcadero Plaza is a lively public space in San Francisco, California. It used to be called Justin Herman Plaza from 1972 until 2017. This plaza is about 1.23 acres big, which is like a little over one football field. You can find it in San Francisco's Financial District, right where Market Street meets the Embarcadero. A company called Boston Properties owns the plaza. They bought it in 1998 along with the nearby Embarcadero Center buildings.
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Designing a Public Space
The design of Embarcadero Plaza was led by Don Carter. He worked with Mario J. Ciampi and John Bolles. The first ideas for the plaza came from Lawrence Halprin. In 1962, he wrote a report called What to do About Market Street.
Halprin imagined Market Street as a series of connected public spaces. These spaces would be great for people walking around. Embarcadero Plaza was the first of these spaces. It connects to UN Plaza further down the street.
Bringing the Bay Closer
Halprin had a special idea for the area near the San Francisco Bay. He wanted to bring the feeling of the bay closer to the city. At the time, a big, double-deck highway called the Embarcadero Freeway blocked the view and sounds of the water.
Halprin suggested ways to make the freeway less noticeable. He wanted to create a vibrant park with canals and fountains. This would help people feel connected to the bay again.
Key Features of the Plaza
The plaza features the large and unique Vaillancourt Fountain. This fountain is at the northeast end of the plaza. It was designed to be loud and roaring. This helped to drown out the noise from the nearby Embarcadero Freeway. The freeway was built in 1959 and ran right next to the plaza until 1991.
Another sculpture, La Chiffonnière, is also in the plaza. It is located closer to Market Street. In 2010, a bocce ball court was added to the plaza. This was built using money from private donations.
Fun Events at the Plaza
Embarcadero Plaza is a popular spot for many events. It is big enough to hold large crowds.
- Critical Mass Rides: Since 1992, the monthly Critical Mass bicycle rides have started from the plaza. This is when many cyclists gather to ride together.
- Pillow Fight: Every Valentine's Day since 2006, the plaza hosts the Great San Francisco Pillow Fight. This is a fun, unsponsored event where people have a giant pillow fight.
Images for kids
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Occupy San Francisco encampment (2011)
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Great San Francisco Pillow Fight (2012)
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