San Francisco to Dismantle its Polarizing Brutalist Fountain

The San Francisco Arts Commission board of directors has voted to dismantle a controversial concrete fountain that has been at the heart of a contentious debate over the future of the Embarcadero.

According to an article by Max Harrison-Caldwell in The San Francisco Standard, “Recreation and Parks Department project manager Eoanna Goodwin said in a presentation that it is necessary to remove the structure because it has fallen into disrepair and poses a safety hazard.” 

The 710-ton Vaillancourt Fountain was installed in 1971 as a modernist statement of urban renewal, later serving as a popular spot for local skateboarders thanks to its intricate concrete pillars and open plaza. “Vaillancourt’s fountain received another layer of immortality last year on the cover of Thrasher Magazine (opens in new tab), with skater Ducky Kovacs (opens in new tab) rolling off it into the questionable water below.” However, the fountain fell into disrepair and has been fenced off since July.

Preservationists hope the city’s plan to dismantle and store the sculpture will give private entities an opportunity to preserve it and potentially install it somewhere else in the future.