The architecture of San Francisco is known for two divergent eras: the exuberance of the Victorian and the Californian Modern exemplified by the Eichler developments connecting interior space to the landscape. While these two aesthetics define the public’s perception of the city, its civic architecture often follows the typical Beaux-Arts tradition found throughout the country.

Triangulated Peaks is a competition entry for a new headquarters for the San Francisco Fire Department located on Pier 30. The proposal utilizes a large-scale truss structure to accommodate both long span space for the apparatus garage and smaller pockets for domestic program. By folding and creasing the truss structure, an extravagant silhouette emerges that is sympathetic to the Victorian and Eichler identities, creating a civic architecture specific to the city. As one of the city’s most revered institutions, the department deserves a home that contributes to the beauty it protects.