An idea for the public realm, in this case as a competition entry in collaboration with Architect/Artist Kelly Gregory for the streetscape of the ‘Mission Rock’ development in Mission Bay, San Francisco. 

“Mission Buoy is an interactive installation that connects the pedestrians of Mission Rock with the waters and lands surrounding the San Francisco Bay.  It creates a vibrant and engaging street life experience for adults and kids alike by bringing the regional winds, weather and swells into the public right of way.

Mission Buoy provides a whimsical portal for the community at Mission Bay into the ever-changing weather systems right outside the Golden Gate by playing an auditory National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather forecast for all those who take interest. Once a part of the Bay and directly linked to the Pacific Ocean, the Mission Rock development was and still is intrinsically linked to the ebb and flow of local tides. And now, in a time of climate change and changing weather patterns, it is more important than ever to draw connections between the larger systems that are at play in our environment.

An intentionally simple composition, Mission Buoy creates a place for pause and reflection that reinforces the Mission Rock development ethos of sustainability and its roots within the San Francisco Bay. At the same time, it creates a unique place of play. A large sculptural yellow buoy, very similar to the buoys that are anchored to the ocean floor worldwide and transmit oceanic weather data to us, is placed in a field of hardscape at the center of the street room. As someone approaches the bench or takes a seat, a motion-activated speaker plays the latest NOAA mesoscale marine forecast for the Bay Area. This brief synopsis of the weather systems swirling offshore and overhead is updated every few hours and gives the listener a window into both the imminent weather conditions (rain likely Thursday) as well as the less visible (a high-pressure ridge trends southward). Part play, part interactive art installation, part weather service, this space acts as a link to the intangible forces that define the San Francisco Bay region.”