Firm: Mark Cavagnero Associates

Role: Construction Documents

The SFJAZZ Center is the first freestanding venue in the United States designed specifically for the performance of jazz. The Center, which opened in January 2013, provides SFJAZZ with its first permanent home in the organization’s 30-year history and establishes a hub of music, culture, and community. Located on the edge of San Francisco’s Civic Center performing arts district, the Center joins a constellation of established cultural institutions, such as the Opera and Symphony.

The glass and concrete structure establishes a contemporary and dynamic counterpoint to these venerable neighbors, embodying the vibrancy of jazz and actively engaging its urban surroundings. A transparent glass façade wraps the ground lobby, café and ensemble room to reveal the excitement within.