Union Exchange
Worldwide MI
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Union Exchange
Worldwide MI
Traffic Cones
Maps: Biking Mode
OTHER WORKProjects + Exercises
About Me
Email →
LinkedIn →
Union Exchange
Reimagining San Francisco’s Macy’s store to be an everyday HBCU hub for community and culture.
During my internship at Gensler, one of the projects we were tasked with was to redesign San Francisco’s Macy’s building in hopes of revitalizing Union Square. This neighborhood has been experiencing a decline over the years. With its high saturation in retail, Union Square has struggled with facing changes from the pandemic, popularity in online shopping, and safety in San Francisco.
The Differentiator:
San Francisco is a city where people come together, and Union Square is a place where this manifests.
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 is the neighborhood was primarily zoned retail, limiting the type of experiences people have in Union Square. However, it’s evident that people want a place beyond shopping that feels engaging and personal.
Designing a place that connects:
How can we provide the experiences that don’t exist, and diversify what does?
We analyzed the landscape of Union Square within a quarter and half mile radius of Macy’s. We found that this neighborhood doesn’t have a strong presence of residential infrastructure, yet transportation and recreational ammenities are highly accessible. Therefore, our goal is to provide the infrastructure that doesn’t exist and redefine the experiences that do.
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 Goal:
Redefine the landscape of Union Square by leveraging the diversity of living that campus cultivates
Design Philosophy:
Create a place that’s human
The goal of our space is to be nexus of interactions between strangers and neighbors. This means spaces needed to be intentional and flexible for various uses and people. Our space is home to dynamic spaces for food, retail, recreation, art, and innovation/education.
timeline -> jun -- aug 2024
Gensler -> Summer 2024 Intern Project
collaborator(s) -> Michelle Tran, Noor Mahmoud, Nitya Cheruku, Angie Mendoza
skills used -> research + strategy, brand, storytelling, presentation + diagram design
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