The Colors of Community

INTERSTICE Architects partnered with the Lower Polk Neighbors, the Lower Polk Community Benefits District, the San Francisco Office of Workforce and Economic Development, and the building owners of the firm’s current building in the Lower Polk District to manage the implementation of a new, six-panel community mural on Hemlock Alley between Polk Street and Larkin Street in order to bring the community together around the lively Lower Polk Alleyways District.

History of Diversity 

The artists for the Hemlock Alley Mural Project each adhered to the theme, “San Francisco—Its History and Its Diversity.” Each mural highlights an iconic San Francisco architectural feature and emphasizes the diversity of the city’s neighborhoods and their residents, exploring themes of culture, identity, history, and progress. The resulting six murals, spanning approximately 140 feet, are a colorful addition to the Lower Polk community, helping to transform Hemlock Alley from a back street to a vibrant, enlivened place that pays tribute to the culture of the city.

A Part of a Larger Picture

In addition to creating a platform for emerging local artists, the Hemlock Cultural Narrative Mural Project is part of The Lower Polk Alleyways District Vision Plan, a larger improvement initiative to activate alleys throughout the neighborhood. To celebrate the completion of the mural, INTERSTICE coordinated the unveiling celebration along Hemlock, temporarily closing the alley to cars. The celebration included live music by a Senegalese band, a performance by a Brazilian Samba dancer, and food for the attendees, as well as stakeholder speeches from the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development and District Three Supervisor, Aaron Peskin.

 

 

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