500 Capp Street


Book Description

500 Capp Street tells the story of David IrelandÕs house, a rundown Victorian in the Mission District of San Francisco that the artist transformed into an environmental artwork, taking the detritus of his restoration labors as well as objects left behind by previous owners and refashioning them into sculptures. Constance M. Lewallen begins by recounting the history of the house from 1886, when it was built, until Ireland acquired it in 1975. She then details IrelandÕs renovation and continuing engagement with the site that served simultaneously as his residence, studio, and evolving artwork; the houseÕs influence on his own work and that of artists who followed him; and its relationship to other house museums. An introduction by Jock Reynolds, who was close to the artist for many years, chronicles the social scene that developed around 500 Capp Street in the 1980s. The book also includes a 1983 article on the house by renowned poet John Ashbery. Illustrated with a generous selection of photographs taken over the years by the artist and his many visitors, this is an invaluable and intimate record of IrelandÕs best-known work. 500 Capp Street is essential reading for anyone interested in the artistic and cultural history of the San Francisco Bay Area and the California conceptual art movement.










Plants and Landscapes for Summer-dry Climates of the San Francisco Bay Region


Book Description

Gardening. Environmental Studies. Photographs by Saxon Holt. Illustrations by Richard Pembroke. This lavishly illustrated book celebrates the challenges and opportunities of gardening in Mediterranean climates, with special reference to northern California's San Francisco Bay Region. The core of the book is a catalog of more than 650 plants suited to regions with mild, usually wet winters and dry, often hot summers. These plants thrive with moderate to no summer irrigation when established, require little or no maintenance, and are reasonably available from nurseries, botanic gardens, native plant sales, or specialty seed suppliers. Many of the 542 color photographs show plants in garden settings to suggest attractive and compatible plant combinations. Summary charts provide information on each plant, such as bloom time, needs for water and sun, and preferences for coastal or inland microclimates. Lists suggest plants for special situations, such as hot sites, dryish shade, small gardens, and clay soils. Chapters on landscape design and maintenance inspire readers to make gardens that use little water and no harmful chemicals, with a focus on building healthy soil. Practical steps to successful design are supplemented with ideas for designing with microclimate, attracting wildlife, and fire safety. Sidebars by local experts discuss weather, natural landscapes, design solutions, and gardening with recycled water. "A valuable resource for climate-compatible gardening in the San Franciso Bay Area that will also be of interest to gardeners in other parts of the world with a similar seasonal pattern of winter rain and dry summers. This book will occupy a prominent place in my library for many years to come." Katherine Greenberg, president Mediterranean Garden Society "This book is beautifully designed with abundant photographs of plants, many in garden settings, and it is packed with the kind of information gardeners need for their own special situations. Simply stunning Bravo " Phyllis M. Faber, editor University of California Press"







Annual Report


Book Description




Bay Area Wild


Book Description

Nestled among the cities and suburbs of the San Francisco Bay Area is the most extensive system of wild greenbelts in the nation. Renowned adventurer and wilderness photographer Galen Rowell has created the ultimate tribute to the place where he was born and raised. His lyrical text, combined with 173 spectacular color photographs, presents a unique view of the Bay Area.







Pictures of a Gone City


Book Description

The San Francisco Bay Area is currently the jewel in the crown of capitalism—the tech capital of the world and a gusher of wealth from the Silicon Gold Rush. It has been generating jobs, spawning new innovation, and spreading ideas that are changing lives everywhere. It boasts of being the Left Coast, the Greenest City, and the best place for workers in the USA. So what could be wrong? It may seem that the Bay Area has the best of it in Trump’s America, but there is a dark side of success: overheated bubbles and spectacular crashes; exploding inequality and millions of underpaid workers; a boiling housing crisis, mass displacement, and severe environmental damage; a delusional tech elite and complicity with the worst in American politics. This sweeping account of the Bay Area in the age of the tech boom covers many bases. It begins with the phenomenal concentration of IT in Greater Silicon Valley, the fabulous economic growth of the bay region and the unbelievable wealth piling up for the 1% and high incomes of Upper Classes—in contrast to the fate of the working class and people of color earning poverty wages and struggling to keep their heads above water. The middle chapters survey the urban scene, including the greatest housing bubble in the United States, a metropolis exploding in every direction, and a geography turned inside out. Lastly, it hits the environmental impact of the boom, the fantastical ideology of TechWorld, and the political implications of the tech-led transformation of the bay region.