FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Alicia Arroyo, AIASF Marketing + Communications Manager
PH: +1 415 874 2620
EMAIL: media@aiasf.org

San Francisco, CA | November 18, 2020 – The American Institute of Architects San Francisco chapter (AIASF) proudly unveils the design for its new 10,000 square-foot headquarters located within the storefront of the historic Hallidie Building at 140 Sutter Street. Scheduled to open in June 2021, the organization's new headquarters will also officially house the Center for Architecture + Design, a non-profit that oversees AIASF's public engagement, outreach, and programs.

"Our community of builders is making this project a reality," says AIASF Executive Director Stacy Williams. "These designers, architects, contractors, consultants, tradespeople, artisans, and craftspeople are among the most talented and well-regarded in their respective fields. And, equally important, this dream team shares AIASF's vision for not only a space that showcases best practices in design thinking and sustainability but also provides a hub from where we can collectively imagine and realize an equitable future through our shared built environment."

In addition to the award-winning, multidisciplinary studio Aidlin Darling Design, construction company BCCI and acoustical engineering firm Salter, nearly a dozen other San Francisco Bay Area-based businesses comprise the project team. AR Green, LEED Consulting, Atelier 10, Murphy Burr Curry Structural Engineers, PAE Engineers, Salter, Solomon Cordwell Buenz, The Preview Group, Tucci Lighting, among others, are donating fabrication, procurement, and installation services valued currently at an estimated $1M.

This community of builders will bring to life AIA San Francisco's vision for a destination that visibly integrates with the cityscape while providing increased community access. Of the design concept created in response to the project brief, Joshua Aidlin, AIA, Principal, Aidlin Darling Design, comments, “The visual porosity of the space both activates and encourages the dissemination and consumption of architecture and design discourse, creating a forum for the community and city at large."

The new headquarters features a flexible design that will most notably enable AIASF to host simultaneous programs — from exhibitions and tours to lectures, presentations, and film screenings in a state-of-the-art theatre.  Visitors will also have access to a café and bookstore to enjoy, relax, and interact socially within the space.

The AIASF and the Center for Architecture + Design’s new space also link the city's past to its future:  The 103-year Hallidie Building, designed by architect and urban planner Willis Polk, was named after a cable car pioneer, Andrew Smith Hallidie. Notes Adrianne Steichen, AIASF Board President, “The new headquarters will celebrate the city’s pioneering and creative spirit engaging our community in collectively building our future.”

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About AIA San Francisco | www.aiasf.org Instagram Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

For over a century, AIA San Francisco (AIASF) has been committed to enhancing the quality of life in the Bay Area by promoting excellence in architecture, design, and the built environment. AIASF represents members practicing architecture, as well as allied community professionals in San Francisco and Marin counties. As a resource for our members and the public, AIA San Francisco strives to improve the quality of life in the Bay Area through community involvement, education, advocacy, public outreach, and member services.

About the Center for Architecture + Design | www.centersf.org Instagram Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

The Center for Architecture + Design (the Center) is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to creating a public-focused dialogue on architecture, design, and the built environment in the San Francisco Bay Area. Established in 2005, the Center enhances public appreciation for architecture and design through exhibitions, lectures, tours, film series, and other programs, including the annual Architecture + the City festival and San Francisco Living: Home Tours.

About Aidlin Darling Design | www.aidlindarlingdesign.com Instagram Facebook LinkedIn

Aidlin Darling Design is a multidisciplinary San Francisco-based design firm. Established in 1997 by Joshua Aidlin and David Darling, the studio has a broad focus, including institutional, commercial, and residential architecture as well as furniture and interior design. Their work explores their closely-held conviction that design can enlighten the human spirit by engaging all of the senses. This notion is reflected in a diverse range of projects, including a restaurant in the new SFMOMA, a high school in Santa Rosa, and Stanford University’s Windhover Contemplative Center, a non-denominational art chapel that serves as a spiritual retreat for students and faculty. Recent works include a cultural art center in San Francisco, a communal workspace pavilion for Expedia Group’s headquarters in Seattle, and an art gallery within the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco.

About BCCI | www.bcciconst.com Instagram Facebook LinkedIn

Ranked as a Top Contractor by ENR California and the San Francisco Business Times, BCCI is a leading general contractor with offices in San Francisco and Mountain View. Established in 1986, BCCI provides comprehensive construction services to take projects from concept to completion. With a work portfolio that includes new construction, major building renovations, historic restorations, seismic upgrades, and tenant improvements, BCCI offers a unique range of client advisory, preconstruction, design-build, project management, and sustainability consulting services.

About Salter | www.salter-inc.com Facebook LinkedIn

Salter consults on over 900 projects worldwide each year with headquarters in San Francisco and branch offices in San Jose, Honolulu, and Seattle. In 1975, Charles Salter founded the company on sound engineering principles, scientific process, inquisitive problem solving, and personal integrity. His motto was simple: to be better every day. Having grown from 1 engineer to a team of 50 that includes acoustical, audiovisual, telecommunications, and security experts, that commitment remains the same.

For interviews with Stacy Williams, Joshua Aidlin, and Adrianne Steichen, contact Alicia Arroyo at 415-874-2620 or media@aiasf.org.