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San Francisco Fountain

San Francisco Fountain is a bronze sculpture and fountain completed in 1970 by Ruth Asawa. It is located outside the Grand Hyatt San Francisco in downtown San Francisco, California, United States. The cylinder-shaped work forms the outer wall of the fountain basin and features bas-relief scenes of San Francisco, described as whimsically interrelated. It is set into a base of brick stairs. Albert Lanier served as the architect, and credited assistants included Aiko Asawa, Haru Awara, Mae Lee, Mei Mei, Hector Villanueva, and Sally Woodbridge. The work was surveyed by the Smithsonian’s Save Outdoor Sculpture! program in 1992 and later underwent restoration and preservation work during the 2016 renovation of the public space near the Apple flagship store.

San Francisco Fountain with water cascading from its top edge in front of a modern building and two small trees.
San Francisco Fountain shown with water spilling from its textured circular form.
October 2007 © Smithsonian Save Outdoor Sculptures project, US Federal Government Artwork · Public domain
San Francisco Fountain with water spraying from a dark metallic sculptural structure beside brick steps.
San Francisco Fountain spraying water beside a modern building and brick steps.
December 2004 © · CC BY 2.0
San Francisco Fountain with a highly textured metallic surface and intricate raised details in front of a red-brick platform.
The San Francisco Fountain features a dense, sculptural metal surface with intricate relief details.
July 2010 © · CC BY 3.0
Close-up of the San Francisco Fountain relief sculpture with an arched colonnade, flanking towers, clouds, and a seated figure.
Detail of Ruth Asawa’s San Francisco Fountain showing the embossed architectural relief and seated figure.
December 2020 © Steven Saylor · CC0
A metal plaque with engraved text rests in a red-brick paved surface.
Informational plaque for Ruth Asawa’s San Francisco Fountain set into a brick-paved area.
July 2010 © · CC BY 3.0

Identification

TitleSan Francisco Fountain
Typebronze sculpture and fountain
Original title in ItalianFontana di San Francisco

Historical context

Date1970

Creator

ArtistRuth Asawa
ArchitectAlbert Lanier
AssistantsAiko Asawa, Haru Awara, Mae Lee, Mei Mei, Hector Villanueva, and Sally Woodbridge

Discovery and provenance

Genesis of projectRuth Asawa became involved with the fountain project by chance
How Asawa was selectedArchitect Chuck Bassett of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill saw an exhibition at the California Redwood Association featuring Asawa's sculpture and children's work from Alvarado Elementary School
Design contextBassett was part of the design team for the new Grand Hyatt San Francisco and wanted an artist to help realize a fountain design for the hotel entrance
Influence from children's workThe children's works in the Redwood Association exhibition were made from baker's clay
Baker's clayAn inedible mixture of flour, salt, and water that could be worked like real ceramic and then fired in an ordinary oven
Subject matter of children's worksScenes from daily life at Alvarado
Collaborative processBassett suggested that Asawa work with children from different parts of the city to create a large, low-relief for the fountain's exterior

Physical characteristics

BaseSet into a brick stair base
FormCylindrical
DimensionsAbout 2.3 m high and 4.9 m in diameter
FunctionForms the outer wall of the fountain basin

Materials

MaterialCast bronze

Appearance

Surface decorationBas-relief scenes of San Francisco, described as whimsically interrelated
DetailA detail image shows a Chinese dragon

Location and ownership

LocationOutside the Grand Hyatt San Francisco in downtown San Francisco, California, United States
Later location contextIncluded in the renovated public space between the new Apple flagship store at the northwest corner of Post and Stockton Streets and a hotel at the southwest corner of Sutter and Stockton Streets

History and restoration

Survey statusSurveyed and labeled treatment needed by the Smithsonian Institution's Save Outdoor Sculpture! program
Survey dateSeptember 1992
Restoration and conservationSome restoration and conservation work was carried out as part of the May 2016 public-space renovation project
Public-space renovation contextIn May 2016, Apple Inc. completed a new store at the northwest corner of Post and Stockton Street and renovated the public space between the store and a hotel at the southwest corner of Sutter and Stockton Street; the renewed public space now includes the San Francisco Fountain of Ruth Asawa

Significance

Mentioned sourceSue Archer, writing in The Journal of Modern Craft, discussed the fountain's genesis