The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, designed by architect Mario Botta, is located in the South of Market neighborhood. Botta designed the museum to have a monumental presence in the city center despite its smaller scale compared to the surrounding skyscrapers. The building features imposing brick blocks that create a fortress-like appearance. A 41-meter tall cylindrical skylight floods the central atrium with natural light and provides views from an interior bridge. Stepped sections of the deep floorplan allow light into interior gallery spaces.

1. A fitting destination for cultural pilgrimage.

2. PROJECT DETAILS
Architect- MARIO BOTTA
Completed 1995
Site- San Fransisco
Area-
NEIGHBOURHOOD
• South of market street, opposite the Yerba
buena gardens arts complex
• Occupies a corner of its city block between
Third, minna and howard streets

3. CONCEPT
“In todays city, museum plays a
role analogous to that of the
cathedral of yesterday.”
MARIO BOTTA
Despite its diminutive scale in
comparison to the adjacent
skyscrapers, Botta’s museum is
sufficiently monumental to
command its city centre block
site.

4. Building is boldly autonomous
• Imposing brick clad blocks recessed to allow
natural light
• Composition of stacked and set-back, heavy brick
masses pervades a fortress like aspect to the
surrounding streets and buildings
• Solid homogeneity is relieved by patterning of
brick work which create subtle variations of light
and shadow on monochromatic surface.
BUILDING FORM
Creates a contrast with the
surroundings which gives it a
monumental feel.

5. The main attraction is the 41m
high chamfered cylindrical funnel
clad in black and silver granite
floods the 60m high central atrium
below with daylight.

6. Stepped section permits lights
to enter internal gallery spaces
despite the museums deep
plan.
Bridge crossing underneath the
skylight provides birds eye
view of lobby space below.

7. SITE PLAN
MINNA St.
PARKING
MUSEUM
ENTRY
ENTRY

8. ZONING & CIRCULATION
FIRST FLOOR

9. SECOND FLOOR

13. View of atrium landing at fourth floor
Volume of atrium created

14. SECTIONS
SKYLIGHTS
Controlling mechanism
CENTRAL ATRIUM
CHAMFERED TURRET
40m
5m
3.5m
5.5m

15. 3.5m
3.5m
7m
5.5m

16. Section through fifth floor exhibition galleries.
Note skylight providing controlled natural light.
LIGHTING
View of fifth floor exhibition gallery. Note
placement of skylight and track lighting.

17. INTERIOR VIEWS