Photograph

Fort Mason Bench: Layout process on the site – Photographs of mock-up

08/04/1984

Layout Process on Site, Mock-up

Photograph of the table mock-up, made on the site using cardboard; size and shape are further finetuned and detailing is introduced.

Photographer:

Christopher Alexander/C.E.S., San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.

Source:

Digital

Characteristics:

Color

Content of

Project

Fort Mason Bench 1984

Marina District, San Francisco, CA, U.S.A.

Other, Realized , Construction completed in Jun-1984

Client:

CoEvolution Quarterly; Uncommon Courtesy, School of Compassionate Skills - Irmine Steltzner; Whole Earth Catalogue - Stewart Brand

C.E.S. staff:

Christopher Alexander, Rodney Moore, 22 workshop participants

Contractor:

Center for Environmetal Structure

Sponsor:

Fort Mason Center, Marina Green, San Francisco - Mr. Mark Kasky, Director

Design and construction process:

1) Apprentice workshop announced: The workshop was given under the auspices of "Uncommon Courtesy", a non-profit organization financed by the "Whole Earth Catalogue and Co-evolution Quarterly". Twenty "students" joined. 2) Making a mockup on site: The first design act was to place several hundered concrete blocks in a large arched shape. This mock-up was used to depict the general layout of the bench. 3) Construction commences: Having the location and the overall shape, construction proceeded with more and more refinements in the general shape and details of the bench going on during construction. 4) Refinements: Sophisticated new techniques developed by C.E.S. were used to provide green and white polished marble inserts of animals, flowers, and abstract ornaments

Project stages:

Layout on the site by workshop particants No drawings were produced Direct construction management and on-site design decisions Built by the workshop participants

A three-tiered masonry public bench and centerpiece, on the Fort Mason pier, overlooking Alcatraz Island. It was built within three weeks as part of the "Spirit in Design" workshop, beginning on 24-Mar-1984 following an announcement in "CoEvolution Quarterly". The main intent ...

References

Scientific Research

The Layout Process of Buildings on the Land - Visualization at Full Scale on Site

Areas of focus:

Design and Building Process

Guiding idea:

Step by Step Process

Each act of building needs to have a positive effect on its surroundings; to complete them, preserve their structure, make them better, by creating strong centers in them and next to them. Each new building is more alive when it ...

Photographs