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Inspired by a neighborhood's industrial past, this rooftop garden is a respite for a community of makers building its future.
The Potrero Hill Innovation Center is a new 160,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art maker-space in San Francisco. Its design is a nod to the industrial history of the area, known today as Showplace Square or the Design District. 70 feet above street level, Groundworks Office designed the building's roof deck to reinforce the architecture while offering an oasis where the city's technological innovators can recharge themselves surrounded by nature.
The roof garden's materials and design reinforce the area's industrial history. The board-formed concrete planters echo the building's saw-tooth facade and carve the expansive flat roof into several distinct seating areas. Four mature Palo Verde trees rise up from the planters, surrounded by tufts of native grasses, giving the garden a kind of casual nonchalance. With built-in bench seating and outdoor furnishings, the garden offers the building's community a selection of spaces to relax, hold meetings, or host events.
The sixth-floor roof garden offers commanding views in all directions. Looking north, visitors will enjoy spectacular views of San Francisco’s Market Street skyline. To the east, they'll see across the city toward the hills of the East Bay's hills, culminating with a view of Mount Diablo.