Libeskind’s Contemporary Jewish Museum to Open in San Francisco June 8

Studio Daniel Libeskind’s new Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco will open to the public on June 8. The museum turns the 1907 Willis Polk-designed Jessie Street Power Substation into “a powerful connection between tradition and innovation.” In an interview about the groundbreaking 18 months ago, Libeskind said: “This design really is about the celebration of life. It’s about the openness of America, of the Jewish culture, of a kinetic sense of the museum that speaks to everyone. The Jewish Museum of Berlin, of course, deals with a tragedy, with a catastrophe, and they communicate a very different story in a very different place. This is about celebration.” The 63,000-square-foot, stainless-steel-clad museum, on two levels, houses two gallery spaces, multipurpose room, special events space, retail, lobby, education spaces, and a café. WRNS is the architect of record; KPM Consultant, the project manager; and ARUP and OLMM Consulting Engineers, the structural engineers. (Photo © Bruce Damonte.)