Emily Gosack (EG): San Francisco’s waterfront from Mission Bay to Hunters Point is undergoing a remarkable transformation, and Page & Turnbull is involved in a lot of these projects, including India Basin Shoreline Park. How do you see the role of historic preservation and cultural resources planning in giving shape and character to this new development, and retaining a connection with place and the city?
Ruth Todd (RT): One could think generically about the history of this portion of the waterfront, but each area of the waterfront has its own story to tell, whether it’s the Scow Schooner Boatyard history, versus the later military history. It’s our responsibility to dig down deeply, to help make sure the best stories are being told and to understand what is more precious versus less precious along the way. At India Basin, it’s the Shipwright’s Cottage and how that little cottage related to the waterfront. And I feel we’ve been able to help the design team figure out how to position that story within the larger project, in a way that’s contributing to the transformation. This includes the thinking about form and materiality of the new construction as well as GGN’s site plantings and site work materiality. So the cottage is not just this little remnant off to the side of this huge transformative project, but it’s integrated, and its story is reinforced.

