Water street is a mid-block alley in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood.  With an existing community of designers, artists, and creative people it features an established identity and sense of community pride.

The Water Street collective aims to capitalize on the collective spirit of the neighborhood, providing living, working, and public outdoor space for the creative community.

The Water Street Living Alley project aims to strengthen the bohemian character of the street by formalizing, and thus protecting, some of the  activities that happen on the alley on a daily basis.  These include areas for outdoor net sports, social nodes and seating areas, a central gathering space, ample space for plantings, protected pedestrian paths, a dedicated bike path, and formal places for chalk art.

The existing alley has a unique character within the context of North Beach and the City of San Francisco.  It has a laid back and bohemian ease that is unexpected and refreshing when compared to the bustle of the surrounding city.  The redevelopment of this alley aims to maintain this character through the use of texture, materials, color, and landscaping.  The design protects the intimacy and community flavor of the alley that both delights those who pass by and invites strangers to wander through this verdant block, while maintain its sense of intimacy and human scale.