Pictured left to right: Charles Egan, San Francisco State University Professor of Chinese; Joseph Leung, Singtao Newspaper Chief Editor; Carin Mui, long time San Francisco local and winning author of the Chinatown Plaza Couplet Contest; Terry Luk, Calligrapher; and SFMTA Central Subway Project Director John Funghi.

In April, the search began for a couplet, which is a pair of prose that is similar in meaning that phonetically rhymes, to be turned into art that will adorn the entryway of the Chinatown Plaza at the Chinatown Station of the T Third Line Central Subway extension. A panel of three judges reviewed the 120 entries that were submitted from various places such as San Francisco, neighboring Bay Area cities, Southern California, East Coast, and overseas.

Mui’s winning couplet reads, “In the past, we traveled across the Pacific to mine for gold; Now, we break through earth to form a silver dragon.” The expression reflects on the great sacrifice of Mui’s ancestors and the first Chinese sojourners who labored to create a better life. It also alludes to the Central Subway trains, which will provide important transportation connectivity, as the silver dragon.

In true tradition, if placed outside of a door, the couplet blessing or idiom is meant to greet and welcome visitors. Mui’s couplet will be transcribed into calligraphy by Terry Luk, and imprinted onto red opaque glass with black lettering outside of the Chinatown Plaza to greet visitors of Chinatown.

When open for revenue service in 2019, the Central Subway will provide an important service linking the northern and southern parts of the city to community, the arts and commerce.

            Example of a Chinese Couplet

The Chinese Community Development Center (CCDC) is hosting a couplet contest. The winning couplet will become a permanent part of the Central Subway Chinatown Plaza. Passengers will see the couplet prominently installed at the station plaza with dimension of 9’ by 11.5’ inches high.

 Rendering of the future Chinatown Plaza

The contest kicked off on Monday, April 25 at the Chinatown Community Center. John Funghi, Central Subway Program Director, provided an update on construction, the Chinatown Plaza and thanked the community for their cooperation. Francis So of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce discussed the 20 years of advocacy behind the Central Subway Project and Chinatown Plaza.

The Chinese couplet is a Chinese poem comprised of two lines that adhere to certain rules. Both lines must have the same number of Chinese characters and corresponding characters with the same lexical category. The meaning of the two lines needs to be related, with each pair of corresponding characters having related definitions. Couplets are written in calligraphy on red paper or carved on wooden uprights. They frequently adorn buildings.

Here are some examples of couplet and their English translations:

書山有路勤爲徑  The mountain of books has one way and hard work serves as the path

學海無涯苦作舟  The sea of learning has no end and effort makes the boat

To enter the contest, the poet must compose an original seven character couplet on the official entry form. The couplet’s theme should relate to either transportation or Chinese history and culture. The entry form can be mailed or hand delivered to the CCDC Program Office at 663 Clay Street by 4p.m. on Friday May 20. There is no entry fee and only one entry per person. The contest is focused on the couplet prose, a professional calligrapher will produce the calligraphy. To ensure a fair selection, the couplets will be judged by a community panel. In addition to having the couplet a permanent part of Chinatown Plaza, the winner will receive a $150 dining gift certificate. Contestants with questions about the contest should contact Jerri Diep, CCDC at 415-984-1461.

Good luck to all contestants!

Artwork was selected in accordance with the Central Subway Public Art Program Goals:

• To commission vibrant high quality works of art to reflect San Francisco’s enduring commitment to the exceptional design of civic spaces
• To enhance the quality of transit riders’ experience through a range of high quality, signature public artwork by both local and national artists
• To create a unique visual identity for each station, architecturally and culturally, by commissioning artworks that dramatically enliven the station interiors and reflect the diverse history and vitality of surrounding neighborhoods
• To develop artworks that will remain in a busy underground transit environment for many years through the use of durable materials and fabrication methods that allow for easy maintenance and are resistant to vandalism
• To engage new artists and maintain a fresh and lively environment in the Central Subway following the completion of construction through art installations at each station

Here’s what you will see at the different stations:

Chinatown

Artist Yumei Hou’s Yang Ge Dance of Northeast China will be installed in the ticketing hall

Traditional Chinese paper cut artist Yumei Hou will create two large-scale laser-cut metal artwork installations for the Chinatown Station based on the Yang Ge (Sprout Dance). This piece depicts a popular outdoor folk dance performed to celebrate happy occasions that originated in the northeastern provinces of China. The artist’s design emphasizes the spirit and the most iconic figures of the dance along with scenes of country life. The cut metal panels will be painted a vibrant red and installed so that they stand slightly off from the wall to allow for shadow casting. The artwork will be located in the mezzanine level and in the ticketing hall.

Tomie Arai’s design, Urban Archeology on the façade of the station

Urban Archeology, designed by Tomie Arai, illustrates the history of Chinatown through large scale photographs that will be translated into architectural glass panels. Upon approaching the station, people will come upon images of the contemporary Chinatown community on the façade along Stockton Street and Washington Street. Inside the station, Arai’s work will continue to the platform level with historical images dating back to the 19^th century.

Artist Clare Rojas’ A Sense of Community will be located on the concourse level cavern wall

Artist Clare Rojas created a two dimension piece for the cavern wall at the concourse level of the Chinatown Station. Her piece entitled A Sense of Community uses imagery obtained from Chinese textile samples which have been translated onto tile and arranged in a pattern reminiscent of Cathedral Quilting. Each colorful swatch will be framed within in small circle closely connected to the other circles.

Union Square| Market Street

Erwin Redl’s Lucy in the Sky will create light effects along the underground connection corridor

The artwork by Erwin Redl for the Union Square|Market Street Station titled Lucy in the Sky is an illuminated installation composed of hundreds of translucent 10 x 10 inch light panels, each containing an array of color LEDs. The light panels, suspended along the entire length of the concourse level corridor’s ceiling in a diamond-shaped pattern, will be computer programmed to slowly change color and display simple patterns and animations, creating a dazzling spectacle for commuters.

Illuminated Scroll by Jim Campbell and Werner Klotz will wind through the ceiling struts at the platform level

For the platform level of the Union Square|Market Street Station, artists Jim Campbell and Werner Klotz are creating a site-specific stainless steel sculpture titled Illuminated Scroll. This artwork is in the form of a ribbon which is comprised of highly polished steel disks, and will be installed overhead, winding its way through struts along the length of the platform. The sculpture will reflect the passengers and trains passing below.

Hughen Starkweather’s Convergence Commute Patterns will create interesting light effects

For the station entry on Geary and Stockton, Hughen Starkweather (Amanda Hughen and Jennifer Starkweather) will integrate a design into the glass deck and the front faces of the glass elevator enclosures. Their artwork titled Convergence: Commute Patterns is based on the dynamic and diverse pathways, commute patterns and arterial structures that exist above and below the streets of the Bay Area. The visual impact of this design treatment to the station’s exterior would shift from subtle during the day to backlit and more vibrant at night.

Yerba Buena|Moscone

The history of the construction of the Moscone Center will be incorporated in Catherine Wagner’s artwork

For the Yerba Buena|Moscone Station, Catherine Wagner will translate photographs she took in the late 70s documenting the construction of the George Moscone Convention Center into six large-scale photographic sculptural reliefs sandblasted and laser etched onto granite stone panels for installation on the concourse level. For the surface level at the station entry, a photograph from this series will be translated into art glass for installation at the glass curtain wall.

Leslie Shows’ Face C/Z will be installed in the ticketing hall

For a prominent wall in the ticketing hall on the concourse level of the Yerba Buena|Moscone Station, Leslie Shows will create an integrated two-dimensional artwork. This artwork, titled Face C/Z, is based on photographic images of iron pyrite rock captured by a flatbed scanner. Working with a glass fabricator, the artist will translate this imagery into a durable artwork fabricated in mirrored, painted, and engraved glass; sheet metal; gravel; and other permanent materials. Because of the reflectivity of its elements, Face C/Z will shimmer and appear to change in color. By using pyrite, also known as “fool’s gold”, the piece speaks to the history of California’s Gold Rush and ever-changing economy.

4^th and Brannan Surface Station

A kinetic sculpture, Microscopic, will be installed at the surface station

The surface station at 4^th and Brannan Street will feature a dynamic, kinetic sculpture, Microscopic. Designed by Moto Ohtake, this piece will measure at 14 feet by 17 feet and will be installed on the upper portion of the 40 foot marquee pole on the platform. Thirty one rotating points will allow the sculpture to interact with different wind conditions, creating various visual patterns depending on the direction and fluctuation of wind patterns.

For more information about the Public Art Program, check out the San Francisco Arts Commission website.

For more information on the Central Subway Project, please see our website.

During the summer of 2015, the Chinese Cultural Center (CCC) unveiled Sky Bridge, a dazzling piece of temporary art designed by artist Beili Lui.   This work transformed the pedestrian bridge located on Kearny Street between the Hilton Hotel and Portsmouth Square.

The Skybridge project was the final piece of the Chinese Cultural Center’s multiyear project, Central Subway, Journey to Chinatown.  This was a series of temporary art projects to celebrate the history of the Chinese culture in San Francisco as the first subway to Chinatown is built.   This series included art installations in Wentworth Alley and Walter U Lum Place as well as music and dance festivals.

The Skybridge was built with a team of volunteers and CCC staff, demonstrating true community spirit.  In one week, the CCC and its volunteers covered 50,000 bricks with Mylar (polyester film).  The labor was very intense due to extreme heat.  Different weather conditions gave the bridge changing looks from extremely bright due to the reflection of the sun to hues of blue and gray.

The much-appreciated plaza features a nightly light show that is projected onto the Macy’s Men’s building, featuring San Francisco landmarks and holiday themed-images.

Shoppers, pedestrians, visitors and locals of all ages can enjoy the open space, festive decorations and special seating in the plaza through the first of January.

If you would like to see more photos of project construction, check out our Flickr, updated weekly!

Project Director John Funghi accepts the ASCE Transportation Project of the Year award on behalf of the Central Subway Project, a 1.7 mile-long extension of the Muni T Third Line.

The ASCE accolade was given to the Central Subway project, named the Transportation Project of the Year for 2015. When open for revenue service in 2019, the Central Subway will connect the northern and southern part of the city.

Want to see more photos of project construction?  Check out our Flickr, updated weekly!

Crews are preparing for the upcoming trackway work which will take place starting 10 p.m., Friday, September 4 through early morning, Tuesday, September 8. During construction there will be detours and traffic impacts around the construction zone.

Outreach is ongoing to inform customers, residents, merchants and motorists about the upcoming construction so that they can plan ahead.

Want to see more photos of project construction?  Check out our Flickr, updated weekly!

Traffic will be impacted due to construction as well as weekend activities. Motorists travelling on I-280 are advised to use the 6th Street on and off ramps.

A temporary platform is being built for N and T Muni Metro riders to disembark and/or transfer to connecting trains at 4th & Berry in order to complete trips to the southern neighborhoods of the city.

Want to see more photos of project construction?  Check out our Flickr, updated weekly!

The new bus stop will be located on Stockton Street at Jackson Street.

Due to upcoming construction activity, the bus stop for the southbound 8X/8AX/8BX Bayshore Express, 30 Stockton, 45 Union/Stockton, and 91 Owl routes on Stockton Street between Washington and Jackson streets will be relocated. The new bus stop location is on the northwest corner of Stockton and Jackson streets in front of Little Paradise.

Discontinued old bus stop on Stockton between Washington and Jackson streets.

The new bus stop will continue to service the following southbound routes:

• 8X/8AX/8BX Bayshore Express
• 30 Stockton
• 45 Union/Stockton
• 91 Owl

Service for these bus routes will remain as scheduled.