Better known for narrow streets lined with red lanterns and eclectic shops, Chinatown also has some of the best Modernist architecture in San Francisco, much of it designed by Chinese-American architects. Join Docomomo US/Northern California as we explore Chinatown as a part of the annual Docomomo US Tour Day. We’ll dive deep into the history of Portsmouth Square—the epicenter of San Francisco’s founding, as well as post-1906 earthquake struggles by the Chinese and Chinese-American community to protect their neighborhood from displacement—and its midcentury renovation to include an underground parking garage. We’ll also explore the works of Chinese-Amerian architects Clement Chen and Worley Wong, who are responsible for several of the Modernist icons in Chinatown.
Image Credit: San Francisco Public Library