03 UNION EXCHANGE
JUL-AUG 2024
Gensler Intern Project
Collaborator(s):
>Michelle Tran
>Noor Mahmoud
>Nitya Cheruku
>Angie Mendoza
Role(s):
>Research + Strategy
>Storytelling
>Presentation + Diagram Design
Tool(s):
>Figma
>FigJam/Miro
>Illustrator
Reimagining San Francisco’s Macy’s store to be an everyday HBCU hub for community and culture.
--
This project was for Gensler’s Summer Intern Project, focused on redesigning San Francisco’s Macy’s building in hope of revitalizing Union Square.
For years, Union Square has been experiencing a decline. With its high saturation in retail, impacts of COVID-19, safety issues, and the city’s housing crisis, the neighborhood has struggled to cope with these challenges.
THE DIFFERENTIATOR
San Francisco is a city where people come together, and Union Square is a place where this manifests.
A DYNAMIC CITY NEEDS DYNAMIC PLACES
San Francisco is a place where strangers become neighbors, where differences are celebrated, and where the spirit of collaboration fuels progress. Union Square is the heart of San Francisco, making it a nexus point for everyone who visits the city.
THE CHALLENGE
Union Square is primarily zoned retail, limiting the type of experiences people have in Union Square.
THE GAP
People want and need a place beyond shopping that feels engaging and personal.
NEIGHBORHOOD LANDSCAPE
Union Square doesn’t have a strong presence of residential infrastructure, yet transportation and recreational ammenities are highly accessible. Therefore, the goal is to provide the infrastructure that doesn’t exist and redefine the experiences that do.
WHERE’S THE LOVE ON THE WEST COAST?
There are nearly no HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) on the west coast. Their lacking presence serves as a special opportunity for San Francisco to capitalize on, diversifying the educational and professional landscape of the city. To be the cultural and innovation powerhouse San Francisco is, we need diverse minds. Adding an HBCU satellite campus provides infrastructure to support this need.
THE SOLUTION
Redefine the landscape of Union Square by leveraging the diversity of living that campus cultivates and creating a place that is human.
UNION EXHANGE -- PROGRAMMING
The goal of this space is to be nexus of interactions between strangers and neighbors. This means each space needs to be intentional and flexible for various uses and people. Union Exchange is home to dynamic spaces for food, retail, recreation, art, and innovation/education.