Hobart Building

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The Hobart Building

The Hobart Building (right), standing in the shadow of the neighboring 44 Montgomery skyscraper.
Building information
Town San Francisco
Country United States
Architect Willis Polk
Completion date 1914
Structural system Steel frame
Style Renaissance/Baroque
Size 21 floors

The Hobart Building is an office high rise located at 582–592 Market Street and Montgomery Street in the financial district of San Francisco.[1] It was completed in 1914 after only eleven months, which led to accusations that it had been constructed with a degree of recklessness,[2] and was at the time the second tallest building in the city, its 21 floors standing 87 meters (285 feet) high.[1][3]

Reputed to be the favorite commercial building of its designer, Willis Polk,[4] its sculpted terra cotta exterior with Baroque ornamentation, and handcrafted brass and Italian marble interior are a noted example of neoclassicist architecture.[2] Its unusual shape was dictated by the site, which was an asymmetric polygon, and since a neighboring structure was torn down, exposing one flank, it is now even more idiosyncratic and striking.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Hobart Building, Emporis.com
  2. ^ a b Corbett, Michael R (1979), "Splendid survivors: San Francisco's downtown architectural heritage", California Living Books, pp. p.81, ISBN 978-08-9395-031-6 
  3. ^ Central Tower, San Francisco, Emporis.com
  4. ^ Olmsted, Roger R. & Watkins, Tom H. (1968), "Here today; San Francisco's architectural heritage", San Francisco: Chronicle Books, pp. p.86, ISBN 08-7701-125-7 
  5. ^ Woodbridge, Sally & Woodbridge, John (August 1, 1992), "San Francisco Architecture: The Illustrated Guide to Over 1,000 of the Best Buildings, Parks, and Public Artworks in the Bay Area", San Francisco: Chronicle Books, pp. p.26, ISBN 08-7701-897-9 

[edit] External links