San Francisco Planning reviewed an independent Historic Resource Review of the Vaillancourt Fountain and agreed it is a historic resource eligible for both the National Register and the California Register. Because of this eligibility, any proposal affecting the fountain now requires review under the California Environmental Quality Act, ensuring public input and consideration of alternatives before significant changes occur.

Speakers addressed the fountain’s irreplaceable significance as a Brutalist icon, a site of free speech, skateboarding history, Indigenous rights activism, San Francisco’s progressive spirit, and as an essential component of the California Register-listed Market Street Cultural Landscape District. They directly challenged the City’s push for deaccession, arguing that the fountain’s deterioration is a result of deferred maintenance that should not set a dangerous precedent of demolishing public art. D

On Friday, September 19, 2025, Docomomo US/NOCA and a coalition of local, national, and international groups sent a letter to San Francisco Arts Commission, Recreation and Park Department, the Project Governance Team, and all associated city agencies and partners with a clear message: Embarcadero Plaza and the Vaillancourt Fountain must be retained and rehabilitated for present and future residents and visitors.

Docomomo US announces 18 recipients of the 2025 Modernism in America Awards. Now in its 12th year, the Awards celebrate the documentation, preservation and reuse of Modern buildings, structures and landscapes built in the United States or on U.S. territory and recognize building owners, design teams, individuals, and preservation organizations that have made significant efforts to retain, restore, and advocate for the aesthetic and cultural value of such places.

Bring San Francisco’s iconic Vaillancourt Fountain into your virtual meetings with these bold, modernist Zoom backgrounds. Perfect for architecture lovers, Bay Area locals, or anyone seeking a unique backdrop, this digital image transforms your Zoom calls and advocates for preservation of a piece of the city’s public art history. Learn more and download your free background now.

Internationally renowned artist Armand Vaillancourt has demanded that San Francisco halt any actions that could endanger his Embarcadero Plaza fountain, Québec libre!, asserting his rights as creator. Docomomo US/NOCA supports this legal move and continues to call for transparent planning, robust preservation alternatives, and long-term stewardship of this modernist public artwork and plaza.

As part of our ongoing advocacy efforts to retain and rehabilitate Embarcadero Plaza and the Vaillancourt Fountain, we requested important information from multiple San Francisco policy bodies to facilitate the full and transparent participation of interested parties in this civic process.

Docomomo US/Northern California has launched a new online resource highlighting the life and work of Roger Y. Lee, AIA (1920–1981), one of the most prolific yet underrecognized figures of Bay Area Modernism. A Chinese-American architect who overcame systemic racial barriers of his time, Lee created more than 100 residences and a wide range of civic, commercial, and religious projects across the West Coast.

In an expected turn of events, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department (SFRPD) has formally requested the San Francisco Arts Commission’s (SFAC) consideration and approval to proceed with the formal deaccession of the Vaillancourt Fountain from the Civic Art Collection and its removal from Embarcadero Plaza. In other words, this is a request for permission to demolish the Vaillancourt Fountain.

Discover key highlights from San Francisco Recreation and Park’s July 2025 meeting on the Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park Renovation. Learn about RPD's decision to demolish the Vaillancourt Fountain, cost estimates, and unaddressed alternatives. Access videos, transcripts, advocacy resources, and learn how to take action to preserve San Francisco’s Modern heritage.

On June 16, 2025, board members of Docomomo US/Northern California (NOCA) attended a key stakeholder meeting with staff of the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department (SFRPD) and a representative from BXP to discuss the Embarcadero Plaza and Sue Bierman Park Renovation Project. The meeting discussed the project’s goals, timeline, and challenges, with a particular focus on the future of the Vaillancourt Fountain and Embarcadero Plaza.

On May 23, Embarcadero Plaza welcomed community members, art lovers, and modern architecture supporters for a Plaza Picnic organized by Docomomo US/NOCA. The Vaillancourt family traveled from Québec to honor the fountain’s legacy alongside Rana Halprin, activist Robert Free, city representatives, preservation groups, artists, skateboarders, and others sharing 50 years of memories.

Docomomo Northern California was thrilled to join the conversation about some of the best of Downtown San Francisco’s Modernist skyscrapers with Heritage’s Woody LaBounty and our own Board President Barrett Reiter and Board Member Ted Barrow!

Experience the artistry of Ruth Asawa beyond the museum with Docomomo US/Northern California’s new self-guided tour. Discover Asawa’s iconic fountains and public sculptures throughout the San Francisco Bay Area using our interactive map. Perfect for art lovers inspired by the SFMOMA retrospective, this tour invites you to walk in Asawa’s footsteps and see the city through her creative vision.

Explore the newly launched Beverley D Thorne archive on Docomomo Northern California’s website. Discover the life and works of this pioneering ‘Man of Steel,’ including his famous Dave Brubeck House, Case Study House #26, and innovative steel-framed designs. Dive into California Modernism’s rich history through this comprehensive collection.

Explore Docomomo-US Northern California’s 2024 highlights, including walking tours, home visits, and advocacy efforts celebrating the Bay Area’s modern architecture and design.

A Reflection on the 2024 National Symposium Miami - concrete, graffiti, climate change, and preservation.

The Northern California (NOCA) Chapter of Docomomo US is pleased to announce Jingyi Luo as the recipient of the 2024 Docomomo US/NOCA Symposium Travel Grant.

More Modernism than ever in 2023! After a few challenging years during the Covid-19 pandemic and readjusting to new realities, 2023 was possibly our busiest year yet! This year we ran nine walking tours, two building tours, and our annual travel grant program, and presented at the Docomomo National Symposium, advocated for the legacy of Paffard Keatinge-Clay, and just hosted our second annual holiday party!

Willis built her practice in San Francisco and made many notable contributions to the city., including Vine Terrace Apartments and the San Francisco Ballet Building.