about the project
“San Francisco is defined by its hills. They give rise to, even are, its landmarks: Coit Tower, Nob Hill, the cable cars. They are the mirror image of the neighborhoods into which the city is divided. They shape the fog, guiding it away from sunny districts and into others. What better way to know San Francisco than to know its hills?” Source: Schweisguth, Dave: “How Many Hills Are There In San Francisco?” SFGazetteer.com: Bits of San Francisco Geography
Located along the Embarcadero and Fremont corridors, Peak Experience is a visionary public realm concept that reimagines the Market Street sidewalk zone as a dynamic, community-driven corridor of play, learning, and discovery. Building upon the existing recreational assets of San Francisco’s waterfront, the project introduces a soft, flexible streetscape typology that transforms static urban elements into interactive, place-based experiences. Responding to the limited visual access to San Francisco’s iconic landscape from this stretch of the city—and the often rigid character of urban infrastructure—Peak Experience repositions the sidewalk as a malleable platform for educational and social engagement. The design incorporates subtle topographic shifts, tactile materials, and interpretive elements that reference San Francisco’s diverse geography, encouraging users to explore and connect with the city’s natural systems in an urban context. By augmenting the traditional sidewalk with moments of elevation, play, and gathering, Peak Experience establishes a stronger identity for Market Street, creating an active edge that celebrates local character and invites continuous community interaction.
