THE DESIGN
The primary design challenge was to provide natural light in an underground space. Designers implemented a glass ceiling at Yerba Buena/Moscone Station, acting as a massive skylight for all three stories. The glass ceiling defines the exterior and provides natural light from the ticketing level down to the transportation level.
Completely surrounded by glass, two elevators act as a light shaft, anchoring the center of the station from one level to the next.
INTEGRATING ART AND ARCHITECTURE
Major art installations at the street, plaza, ticketing, and concourse add interest and wayfinding for commuters.
Connecting people with place, the artwork selection inside the station displays photos of the surrounding Yerba Buena neighborhood and artwork that is representative of the Bay Area. Above the entrance of the ticketing station, Artist Leslie Shows created a 35-foot-wide display called “Face C/Z,” representing the many gold rushes in California.
Archaeological exhibit panels throughout the station tell the history of the area and the Indigenous Peoples who were the traditional stewards of the land.
Marking the entrance of Yerba Buena/Moscone Station, New York Artist Roxy Paine’s “Node” sculpture is the tallest freestanding sculpture in San Francisco.
DESIGNING FOR RESILIENCE
Designed to support the resilience of the community during times of need, a generator cap will continue to power the station and lightrail during a power outage. Additionally, two sets of hydraulic elevators allow for one elevator to remain in use if the other is under construction.
Durable materials such as stainless steel, concrete, and tile will withstand the impact of thousands of passengers, keeping this public asset looking fresh and easily maintainable with an estimated lifespan of over one hundred years.
