Location: 5M, 415 Natoma, San Francisco, CA 94103
About the work
The iconic wind baffle structures that anchor The Parks at 5M—a new, vibrant community connected to the surrounding fabric of San Francisco’s SOMA District by a cohesive network of public spaces—are the brainchild of !melk, an award-winning urban design and landscape architecture firm. Built to mitigate wind, the baffles or “wind breakers” are artfully illuminated from the outside and complemented with a soft glow that radiates through the perforations in the upper zones. Though made from steel, a material associated with heaviness and industry, the baffles are often referred to as “flowers” for their stem and leaf-like design elements. Come nightfall, they transform into breathtaking sculptures and suddenly seem to float.
The Wind-Baffles are part of the Illuminate SF Festival of Light, which, in 2022-23 will present over 60 installations, in 17 neighborhoods, by over 40 artists, throughout San Francisco.