Workers lower equipment into an excavated trench at 4th and Freelon, where two sewer lines are being installed.

A repaved section of 4th Street just south of Freelon serves as a temporary detour for vehicles accessing Freelon Alley.

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

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.

Below, sparks fly as a worker uses an angle grinder to smooth edges of a steel bracket inside the north concourse, where temporary steel reinforcing is being installed.

An underground view of the southeast corner of the Union Square Garage where construction of the north station entrance is ongoing.

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

Underground, work to begin excavation of the initial portion of the station cavern has begun.

Up close, two men in a hi-lift basket work toward the top of the right side of the cavern , where steel reinforcing is being installed.

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

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.

Pipes form an arch over the future entrance to the station platform. As work continues, the arch will be cut to create a passageway.

An up-close look at archway work. Survey markings on the wall help guide drilling operations.

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

Crews restore the pavement along Stockton Street between Clay and Sacramento. This follows installation of pipes and pumps for future work.

Excavation in Chinatown has reached approximately 60 feet below street level. Crews are now constructing the top of an arched structure which will lead passengers to the station platform.

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

A large-diameter ventilation fan keeps the work site safe while workers maneuver temporary steel supports into place.  These supports are called “walers.”

Eventually, floors and finished walls will replace the temporary steel supports you see here.  After construction is complete, riders will begin using the station in 2019.

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

Crews build a new ramp inside the Union Square Garage located at the southeast corner of Union Square.

Work is taking place on all four levels of the garage.  This work includes laying rebar, constructing concrete forms and building a wall.

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

Rendering of the underground Union Square | Market Street station. This station will feature a concourse that will allow T Third passengers to easily access other Muni lines and BART

There is a lot of activity as construction moves forward in Union Square.  At the corner of Geary and Stockton, a small portion of the Union Square Garage is being demolished to allow for the construction of the north entrance to the Union Square. The entrance will open to the sidewalk of Geary and Stockton.

Construction on the roof of the north concourse is ongoing.  The work is being done in sections on Stockton near Maiden Lane and Geary.  Workers have excavated soil to the roof level, installed steel beams and corrugated steel sheets, and poured concrete.

Work on the south concourse to the Union Square | Market Street station is also underway.   At the intersection of Ellis and Stockton, crews are removing soil and reconstructing the currently closed Ellis Street entrance to Powell/BART/Muni station to also accommodate the Union Square | Market Street Station.

Throughout the construction area, drilling and compensation grouting are being performed.  In compensation grouting, a concrete-like solution is injected under pressure into a pre-drilled hole.  This helps to harden and stabilize the soil under surrounding buildings and structures.

All of the work has a great benefit.  Not only will the Union Square | Market Street Station give residents and tourists easy access to Union Square, it will also have a walk way connecting passengers easily to other Muni lines and BART.

Here are some photos of the construction:

A worker adds a section of drill shaft during compensation grouting operations south of Geary

Looking south down the future south concourse, with the access shaft north of Ellis in the foreground

Structural walls are being constructed inside the south concourse of the Union Square/Market Street Station