BART Train Tour & Ride: The Art & Architecture of BART
As you all know, I ride BART on a regular basis and I even share with you some of my BART rides in the last two years. I’ve always been fascinated by BART; and last Saturday, August 17, 2024; I was one of the privileged few to join a tour sponsored by nonprofit Docomomo. I just recently purchased a new hand-held camera and I’m still learning how it works so apologies if sometimes the camera is out of focus.
Shout out to the amazing Docomomo staff for allowing me to record this tour. Big thanks to Kevin, Gary, Petra and Andrea.
The tour gave us a glimpse on the decades of planning, design and construction of BART which opened to the public in 1972. The tour focused mainly on the history, mid-century modern design and art of BART. We visited several San Francisco BART stations including Glen Park, 24th Street & Mission, Powell Street & Embarcadero Stations; designed by prominent local Modern architects and architecture firms including Ernest Born & Skid More, Owings & Merrill.
What is Docomomo?
Docomomo is an acronym for the DOcumentation and COnservation of buildings, sites and neighborhoods of the MOdern MOvement. Founded in 1996, Docomomo US/NOCA is one of twenty regional chapters of Docomomo US.
Docomomo is a non profit membership organization that endeavors to increase public awareness and provide educational programming and advocacy to support the modernist buildings, sites, and landscapes of Northern California. Membership dues, donations and fees collected from their ticketed events go to the funding of their advocacy and educational work including the funding of their annual Travel Grant. The Travel Grant provides financial assistance to a current student or emerging professional with a connection to Northern California modernism who would like to attend the annual Docomomo US National Symposium. Attending their tours directly supports their mission.
To learn more about Docomomo, go to their website : docomomo-noca.org
