The San Francisco Arts Commission has voted to dismantle the iconic Vaillancourt Fountain, a controversial 1970s concrete structure that has served as a landmark in the city's Embarcadero Plaza for decades. The commission's 8-5 vote earlier this month came after city officials declared the brutalist fountain an "immediate and serious hazard," sparking fierce opposition from preservation groups and art advocates.
Designed by artist Armand Vaillancourt, the massive fountain consists of twisting, cubic bands of reinforced concrete that create a striking architectural presence in the wedge-shaped public plaza originally designed by Lawrence Halprin. The structure was originally installed to help drown out noise from the elevated freeway that backed the site, but it has since become a well-known gathering place for public events and protests.
The controversy began last month when the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department issued what preservation groups called a "surprise announcement" declaring the fountain a safety hazard. According to The Cultural Landscape Foundation, this determination was based on a letter from the Department of Building Inspection and a report from DCI Engineers completed in May, which documented "corrosion and degradation" in the concrete structure.
However, preservation advocates argue that while the reports noted structural issues requiring attention, they did not actually state that the fountain posed an immediate danger. "It was gut-wrenching yesterday to watch the San Francisco Arts Commission vote 8-5 in favor of dismantling and removing the Vaillancourt Fountain based on an artificially created sense of public threat," said Docomomo US executive director Liz Watkus in a statement following the vote.
The Cultural Landscape Foundation and Docomomo US, two prominent conservation organizations, mobilized quickly once they became aware of the threat to the fountain. They launched online campaigns and advocacy efforts, but were ultimately unable to prevent the commission's decision to dismantle the structure. The fountain is now set to be taken apart and placed in storage for up to three years, though it remains unclear what will happen to it afterward.
Charles A. Birnbaum, chief executive of The Cultural Landscape Foundation, argues that the fountain's removal is unnecessary and that it could be preserved as part of any redevelopment of the plaza. "We think the important thing here is it's not an either-or," Birnbaum told Dezeen. "It's possible to revisit the design of this plaza and its work of art without destroying it." The plaza is reportedly set to be converted into a park under developer BXP, though Birnbaum notes he has only seen a "schematic diagram" of a large lawn in the proposed plans.
Beyond its architectural significance, the Vaillancourt Fountain holds deep cultural meaning for San Francisco residents. Birnbaum emphasizes that the structure's unusual nature has consistently drawn people to it, making it an important site for public gathering and civic engagement. "The thing that has always been intriguing to me about this work of art is it gets a visceral response from everyone," he explained. "And isn't that what art should do – shouldn't it provoke us?"
The loss of the fountain represents more than just the removal of a piece of public art, according to preservation advocates. "I think it's sad that the public suffers, the memory of this place will be erased, which is so significant because of its iconic and unusual nature and the symbol that it has represented for so many generations as a place for public gathering, public protest," Birnbaum continued. The fountain has served as a backdrop for countless demonstrations, celebrations, and community events throughout its nearly five-decade existence.
This preservation battle reflects broader tensions in San Francisco and other major cities between development pressures and historic preservation. The case joins other recent high-profile preservation efforts, including contentious battles around a Frank Lloyd Wright skyscraper and a circular Bertrand Goldberg building in Illinois, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by mid-century and brutalist architecture.
As the dismantling process moves forward, the fate of the Vaillancourt Fountain remains uncertain. While city officials have committed to storing the structure for up to three years, there are no concrete plans for its potential reinstallation or permanent preservation. The controversy underscores the complex challenges cities face in balancing public safety concerns, development needs, and the preservation of culturally significant public art and architecture.
