Lowe Enterprises Unveils ''Hulls'' at 500 Terry Francois - An Impressive Stainless Steel Sculpture That Pays Tribute to Mission Bay's Ship Building Past

2008-04-22 23:50:22 -

- Commissioned by Lowe Enterprises for the plaza at 500 Terry Francois in Mission Bay - the company's 300,000-square-foot office building development -- "Hulls" is the vision of Richard Deutsch, an award winning sculptor who brings together form, movement, the organization of space and human interaction to create public artworks that are site specific and reflect the social context of their surroundings. "Hulls" pays tribute to the remarkable shipbuilding history of Mission Bay.

Fashioned from stainless steel pipes that have been bent to a precise form then welded together, the sculpture conceptually consists of two hulls - the bare bones of a ship - resting against each other. They rise vertically out of the ground to a height of 42 feet and 48 feet and weigh 8,000 lbs and 10,000, respectively. Although massive in size, the design and material makes the artwork appear almost weightless and transparent.

Deutsch spent many hours watching the movement of sunlight in the plaza so that he could see how it would play out in relation to the sculpture and he placed the piece in a position that would maximize the effectiveness of the changing light and allow interaction with the public. At night it is uplit from the center, providing yet another visual transformation.

"Hulls is simply a line drawing in space that pays homage to the hard work, innovation, and profound contribution of boat and ship building to Mission Bay over the past 160 years. The sculpture's vessel forms are a glistening metaphor of this industrious past," said Deutsch.

"Hulls" is the first of three public sculptures Deutsch has been commissioned to create in San Francisco. Another piece will be at an office building at First and Howard, while the third will be a stone sculpture at a condominium project at Second and Folsom.

"We originally planned to locate the sculpture in a grassy area but decided to move it to the plaza where it would encourage greater pedestrian interaction and where the movement of light and shadows could be seen with greater clarity on the paved surface beneath it," said Daisy Hatch, senior vice president at Lowe Enterprises. "'Hulls' provides an elegantly curved focal point for the plaza, softening the geometric linear patterns of the surrounding landscaping where flowers and shrubs create a quilt of seasonal colors."

"A key aspect of the vision for Mission Bay is a robust public art program. Public art, and Richard Deutsch's piece in particular, help provide a sense of place in Mission Bay and add to the beauty of this growing neighborhood," said Kelley Kahn, San Francisco Redevelopment Agency's Mission Bay project manager.

Deutsch was born in Los Angeles in 1953, and has a studio in Davenport, California. Like most of his works, "Hulls" reflects his exploration of the interrelationship between forms and shapes, how they change when they touch, and how the interplay of light and shadow affects them. He works in a variety of mediums - granite, bronze, terrazzo, stainless steel and plaster are all materials he has used for his abstract sculptures, which range in size from small pieces to large interior and exterior installations. While he has many private commissions, and currently has a show in a gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico, his works also can be found in public settings throughout California including the Oakland Museum, Stanford University and the California Science Center in Los Angeles.

Mission Bay is a 303-acre master-planned development on a rehabilitated brownfield that at completion will have five million square feet of office and commercial space, 6,000 residential units, 750,000 square feet of retail, 500 hotel rooms and a 43-acre UCSF research campus, a public school, and police and fire stations. In addition, there will be 49 acres of parks and open space.

Lowe Enterprises is actively expanding its acquisition and development activities in the San Francisco Bay area. In addition to the Mission Bay development, the firm has commenced construction on an extensive remodel project of a 270,000-square-foot office campus in San Mateo. Lowe is also entitling a 215,000-square foot office building in Santa Clara. Lowe also was selected by AEGON to spearhead the entitlement of a residential high-rise located adjacent to the landmark Transamerica Pyramid.

About Lowe Enterprises

Los Angeles-based Lowe Enterprises is a leading national real estate investment, development and management firm. Over the past 36 years, it has developed, acquired or managed more than $9 billion of real estate assets nationwide. The firm is currently developing $3 billion of commercial, resort and resort residential properties nationwide. Through its investment management affiliate, the firm currently manages in excess of $4 billion in real estate assets on behalf of investment clients. In addition to its Los Angeles headquarters, Lowe Enterprises maintains regional offices in Denver, Irvine, Phoenix, San Francisco, Sacramento and Washington D.C.

Casey Sayre & Williams, Inc.
Karen Diehl, 310-396-2400