Wedge Plaza Cafe

Architect: Dilworth-Eliot Studio

Location: Wedge Park, Candlestick Point, San Francisco, CA

Client:      Fivepoint

Area:       1,000 sq ft

Status:     In progress 

Project architect, Concept, SD & DD, including client process and presentations, consultant coordination, and construction details development.

Context - Cafe location:
The Cafe is located at the North end of Wedge Plaza, at the high activity crossroads of several major circulation zones - pedestrians, bicycles, buses and vehicles. Together with the adjacent Film Arts Center, and Wedge Park Raised Plaza, it helps form a central hub of activity. The building is situated so as to preserve the main views towards the Bay.

Context - park buildings continuum:
The Cafe Building is part of a Park Buildings continuum, starting from the urban Wedge Plaza and continuing into the more natural environment of Wedge Park. The three Park Buildings develop from the refined, urban Cafe in Wedge Plaza, through the more industrial Utility building with it’s architectural mesh cladding in Wedge Park 2a, to the exposed concrete Restroom building/landform in Wedge Park 2B.
The Park Buildings are connected by their sculptural forms, which continue the lines of the landscape landforms, as well as by their cladding materials. However, each has its own identity as influenced by its context within the urban to natural spectrum.

The Cafe has an small area of 1000 GSF, including patron space (seating and sales counter), a restroom, tenant storage space, and a janitor/trash room. It also provides exterior covered seating areas under the overhanging roof.

Design principles:
The Cafe’s main design strategy is to create a building that is one with its public park context, activating the plaza while also preserving the continuity of sight lines and movement between it and Wedge Park. This was achieved through the design of the building’s form, layout and materials:
The Cafe’s form clearly defines 3 major components: a narrow, low solid mass which houses the service areas, a higher sculptural roof, and a transparent glassy enclosure connecting them and housing the patron space, designed to be experienced as part of Wedge Plaza while helping to activate it.

The use of 100% transparency in the glassy patron space, together with the building’s linear footprint, allow for the flow of pedestrian movement
and views between the open, public spaces of Wedge Park and Wedge Plaza, and offer views to the surrounding development.

The other principal building materials used, also work to create a seamless integration of exterior and interior spaces: The wood-look finish porcelain floor pavers in the patron space continue the exterior Plaza paving. The main roof soffit aluminum ceiling system with wood-look finish extends over both the exterior and interior seating areas, providing a warm and inviting space for the park users. The corrugated metal panels cladding the service areas mass, and the main roof standing seam metal cladding are semi-industrial materials that connects with the raw park context, while providing texture and a subtle sheen.

The building’s expressive, sculptural roof form creates an architectural event and acts as a gateway into Wedge Plaza, while the transparent clerestory allows the roof to “float”. The roof is also considered a fifth facade, given that the cafe is surrounded by multi-story buildings.