Attracting tourists and future homeowners, tightly packed together apartment buildings and Victorian style homes are a trademark of San Francisco. On almost every block of the city, every lot is somehow connected. Are these just closely built homes, or architectural masterpieces? Tanu Sankalia, Architecture professor at the University of San Francisco, examines the overlooked complexities of San Francisco Victorian homes in his art exhibit “The Urban Unseen.” The art exhibit, located in Thacher Gallery on the University of San Francisco campus, explores the spaces between homes and the way they are connected.
Sankalia’s vision was to draw attention to and analyze more than just the façade, but the multiple dimensions of the houses near the university’s campus. Some of these Victorian residential houses on Turk Street were built in the mid to late 1800’s, embodying the style of English architecture during the rule of Queen Victoria. They were also built on top of bedrock so they were able to survive the San Francisco earthquake and fire. During a walking tour, Sankalia explains that he wanted to tell the story of San Francisco in a different way. He asked “How do you look at things that are unseen?” and hoped to convey his conclusions through his exhibit.
Sankalia obtained his undergraduate degree in Architecture in India before he moved to the U.S. to continue his studies at UC Berkeley. He has taught in India and has been a professor at the University of San Francisco, which funded his exhibit, for four years. He is extremely passionate and equally knowledgeable about his project.
The actual exhibit encompasses his findings through various art forms. There are wax sculptures, detailed drawings, video, and photographs of the different spaces that exist between lots. Some homes are connected by a wall, which Sankalia describes as row houses, when two houses share a wall and there is little to no space between them. Other homes are connected by a gate, and some are connected by a wall that begins further back than the first dimension of the house. These are the complexities that the average passerby may never notice which makes this exhibit original and unique. He notes that facades are highlighted during the day, drawing attention away from other dimensions of space. However, as night approaches the visibility of intricate details of Victorian architecture and space becomes apparent.
Sankalia explains that there were four main elements to understanding and expressing his vision. He believes these elements to be observation, mapping, documentation, and interpretation. He began his project observing the streets, spaces, and homes and then mapped his exact focus. Next he used various mediums to document the spaces and created ways in which others could interpret them. He worked along with four other artists to convey these images. Catherine Chang was another architect involved, as well as Pedro Churion who used film to interpret the spaces, and students also participated in creating the art exhibit.
The exhibit is creative, interactive, and most certainly something I’ve never seen before. However, the reason why it may have been so effective is that the concept goes beyond the exhibit. After leaving the art showcase, Sankalia’s idea can be found all over San Francisco. He was able to take a part of a city that unites everyone who lives in a home that is somehow connected to another. Since speaking with the artist and reviewing the showcase, I am constantly aware of the spaces that connect Victorian houses and even my own apartment building. Well done Sankalia, well done.
My Rating: *****/*****
