We are lucky to have great volunteers devoted to UN Plaza. Arjan, a Dutch urban designer, is leading a group of students from SFSU to analyze the spatial features and propose new designs for UN Plaza. Read what they have to say about the City and their wildest visions for UN Plaza!

Arjan

What makes San Francisco beautiful?

If I go for a walk, without a specific destination, I always discover new micro neighborhoods, new views on the Bay or City, and new alleys and stairs that I never knew existed. Sometimes just around the corner of where I’ve been for years. San Francisco’s beauty lies in its surprises.

Why did you choose to become involved with San Francisco Beautiful?
Local people are always the most important users of our environment. As an urban designer, I believe that when projects are initiated and implemented, it is very important that the community appreciates the work. SF Beautiful is always thinking about the impact on the neighborhood, and tries to involve the locals as much as possible. It’s great to be part of that.

Why did you choose to live in San Francisco?
San Francisco is an inspiring city with a great fusion of European and American city life. As a European, it is comfortable to be able to walk and cycle around, and the American intensity with the cars going up and down the hills, the beautiful skyline, impressive bridges, and beautiful landscapes around, bring great energy.

What did you learn from the UN Plaza Activation and Survey?
That UN Plaza is extremely diverse. Not only in how people use it, but also in the way people think about the plaza, in how people define what the plaza is for them, or could be.

What is your wildest vision for UN Plaza?
That this will be THE plaza of the City, where it all comes together: Market Street being a destination, instead of a transportation corridor.

Dominic

What makes San Francisco beautiful?
San Francisco is beautiful because of it’s historical progression into a more conscious minded society. Many social, political and cultural movements have formed in this city. In particular, the diversity of people and their culture has been a key component of San Francisco’s reputable identity.

Why did you choose to become involved with San Francisco Beautiful?
My decision to work with San Francisco Beautiful is primarily due to my interest in the UN Plaza Activation Study project. The advocacy behind most of the organization’s work is most relevant towards the innovation taking place in the public realm. The organization has championed many legislative and programming initiatives that continue to make San Francisco a more livable place.

Why did you choose to live in San Francisco?
As a born and raised San Francisco native, my choice to live in San Francisco is a part of my parents immigration to the United States. I live in San Francisco because this city is my home. In the midst of so much transformation and changes to the city, my family, friends and community remain major contributors to the vibrance in culture that we call city living.

What did you learn from the UN Plaza Activation and Survey?
From our research for the UN Plaza Activation, I’ve developed a deeper understanding of how programming has been a vital part of coordinating people to public spaces such as UN Plaza for a long time.

What is your wildest vision for UN Plaza?
My wildest vision for UN Plaza is for the space to become a place that brings people from all socio-economic and political backgrounds together to share in the continuous growth of the plaza. UN Plaza must be a place for current and future generation of San Franciscans to share in constant cultural exchange that is balanced and mutually beneficial to all. As a public place, the plaza must become a place that current and new communities can live, work, play and pray together, where a new community emerges based upon equitable and sustainable city living.

Justin

What makes San Francisco beautiful?
The city is beautiful with its history, architecture and cultures. I find the city beautiful because I can access any area by BART and MUNI. I find the city beautiful because my family lives here, and we are all native. I find the city beautiful because it continues to grow, and there is always something to do, everyday of the week.

Why did you choose to live in San Francisco?
My great grandfather choose to live in San Francisco because of the ports and warehouses. My family never left because they had a stake in business and property, and why leave? I hope to remain in the City although it is increasingly unaffordable. I would hope to live and remain in San Francisco because there are organizations such as SF Beautiful, who make an effort to improve the City.

What did you learn from the UN Plaza Activation and Survey?
I have learned about better strategies with urban planning by working with Komal and Arjan.

What is your wildest vision for UN Plaza?
I envision UN Plaza becoming a beautiful space with arts and activities, where users are pulled into the space by its aesthetics and features, and can safely rest while they are on break.

Louis

What makes San Francisco beautiful?
I think that San Francisco’s diversity and its many thriving cultures is what makes this city beautiful. I love that there are so many different, amazing people that live here, and you can’t find such diversity in many other cities. I also love the architecture, the food, the ease of transportation, and how close everything is together. Lastly, you can’t beat San Francisco’s beautiful landscapes, from the Bay to Ocean Beach to Twin Peaks.

Why did you choose to become involved with San Francisco Beautiful?
I’m really excited by our project and what we can propose to improve UN Plaza while still serving the needs of the surrounding community.

Why did you choose to live in San Francisco?
I was born here, and my family has a lot of roots and history here, so I’m happy to come back to it. As I’ve gotten to know the city better over the years, it’s continued to surprise me with how beautiful and people-friendly it is.

What did you learn from the UN Plaza Activation and Survey?
One important thing that we’ve learned is that there are a diverse array of different communities that use the plaza for different reasons. Working towards a design that fits the needs of all its users is a big challenge, but the ideal end result of having a beautiful place that is usable by everyone is a huge motivator.

What is your wildest vision for UN Plaza?
I really love the idea of creative uses of greenery and lighting and how they can beautify a space and make it more attractive. I’ve been thinking about how cool it would be to have living walls of gardens in the plaza and how beautiful they would be lit up at night – attracting people when it’s dark out, making it feel safer by activating the space at night with large numbers of people passing through to check it out. Our group together has a lot of great ideas, though – this is just one of them, and I’m excited to put our best ideas all together in the final report. We’ll see!

Ryan

What makes San Francisco beautiful?
I think the combination of its preserved history, contemporary buildings, appreciated green space, and modern ideas make San Francisco beautiful.

Why did you choose to become involved with San Francisco Beautiful?
I chose to get involved with SF Beautiful because of the work they are doing to activate UN Plaza. Designing city parks and plazas is something I have always wanted to do, and I believe this opportunity is allowing me to “get my feet wet” (not in the fountain, obviously).

Why did you choose to live in San Francisco?
I chose to live in San Francisco in order to attend SFSU where I discovered my love for the environment, both built and natural. I major in Urban Studies and Planning, as well as Geography.

What did you learn from the UN Plaza Activation and Survey?

I have learned that public, open spaces are very important for city dwellers, but if they are not well designed or maintained, they can become underutilized.
Outdoor space and recreation are important factors contributing to our quality of life; UN Plaza needs to be a space where people feel safe and comfortable enough to spend time and enjoy themselves.

What is your wildest vision for UN Plaza?
My wildest vision for UN Plaza would be to install an interactive art piece that is incorporated throughout the plaza. This would make it possible for strangers to be participating with one another from opposite sides of the plaza. Repurposing the fountain to become more sit-able and user-friendly would also have a nice effect on the space.