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  • Ai Weiwei, <em>Western Screech Owl Habitats</em>, 2010 (installation view); photo: Monique Deschaines
  • Jensen Architects, <em>Patience</em>, 2010 (installation view); photo: Monique Deschaines
  • becker-winged-wisdom
  • Nathan Lynch, <em>Where Is the Hare?</em>, 2010 (installation view); photo: Monique Deschaines
  • Surface Design, Inc., <em>A Habitat of Flight</em>, 2010 (installation view); photo: Monique Deschaines
Past

Presidio Habitats

May 16, 2010 – May 15, 2011 at Presidio of San Francisco

Presidio Habitats was the first site-based art exhibition conceived for a national park. An international group of artists, architects, and design specialists were invited to submit habitat proposals for specific animal residents of the Presidio. From the 25 submissions received, 11 were selected as commission projects to be fabricated and installed in the Presidio landscape. The projects were situated in the Fort Scott District of the park with dramatic views of the Golden Gate. An indoor exhibition in a pavilion designed by Ogrydziak/Prillinger Architects provided background and context for the project, and presented all 25 of the submissions received.

The projects on view in the landscape were diverse in approach, material, and purpose. They ranged from a set of elegant blue-and-white glazed porcelain vessels conceived as habitats for the western screech owl by renowned Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, to a conceptual reintroduction of the extirpated desert hare to the Presidio through Nathan Lynch’s reimagining of Aesop’s hare and tortoise race.

Visitors on self-guided walks were invited to experience the habitat installations as well as explore the Presidio’s diverse landscapes — historic forests, a community garden and nursery, stunning vistas overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Golden Gate, stately historic neighborhoods, and a hidden creek.

In addition to the artist commissions listed below, proposals were presented by Jeffrey Berkus Architects, CMG Landscape Architecture, Topher Delaney, Design Ecology, Amy Franceschini with ALITE Designs, Anya Gallaccio, Fritz Haeg, Walter Hood, Michelle Kaufmann, Rigo 23, John Roloff, SIMPARCH with Deborah Stratman, Mark Thompson, and Bruce Tomb and David Tomb.

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Featured Works

  • Western Screech Owl Habitats (installation view)
    Ai WeiweiWestern Screech Owl Habitats
  • Philippe Becker Design, Winged Wisdom, 2010 (installation view); photo: Monique Deschaines
    Philippe Becker DesignWinged Wisdom
  • Sculpture Habitat for the Gray Fox (installation view)
    CEBRASculpture Habitat for the Gray Fox
  • Habitat for Anna’s Hummingbird (installation view)
    Chadwick StudioHabitat for Anna's Hummingbird
  • Winged Defense (installation view)
    Mark Dion with Nitin JayaswalWinged Defense
  • Animal Estates Snag Tower
    Fritz HaegAnimal Estates Snag Tower
  • Patience (installation view)
    Jensen ArchitectsPatience
  • Pollen Balls Project (installation view)
    Amy LambertPollen Balls Project
  • Where Is the Hare? (installation view)
    Nathan LynchWhere Is the Hare?
  • Exhibition Pavilion
    Ogrydziak/Prillinger ArchitectsExhibition Pavilion
  • A Habitat of Flight (installation view)
    Surface Design Inc.A Habitat of Flight
  • Owl Dome (installation view)
    Taalman Koch ArchitectureOwl Dome

Related Media

  • Ai Weiwei, Western Screech Owl Habitats, 2010 (installation view); photo: Monique Deschaines
    Philippe Becker Design, Winged Wisdom, 2010 (installation view); photo: Monique Deschaines
    CEBRA, Sculpture Habitat for the Gray Fox, 2010 (installation view); photo: Monique Deschaines
    Chadwick Studio, Habitat for Anna’s Hummingbird, 2010 (installation view); photo: Monique Deschaines
    Mark Dion with Nitin Jayaswal, Winged Defense, 2010 (installation view); photo: Monique Deschaines
    Fritz Haeg, Animal Estates Snag Tower, 2010 (installation view); photo: Monique Deschaines
    Jensen Architects, Patience, 2010 (installation view); photo: Monique Deschaines
    Amy Lambert, Pollen Balls Project, 2010 (installation view); photo: Monique Deschaines
    Nathan Lynch, Where Is the Hare?, 2010 (installation view); photo: Monique Deschaines
    Ogrydziak/Prillinger Architects, Exhibition Pavilion, 2010; photo: Monique Deschaines
    Surface Design, Inc., A Habitat of Flight, 2010 (installation view); photo: Monique Deschaines
    Taalman Koch Architecture, Owl Dome, 2010 (installation view); photo: Monique Deschaines
    Installation Views
  • In the Press
Presidio Habitats was organized by the FOR-SITE Foundation in partnership with the Presidio Trust.

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    • Sanctuary
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    • Presidio Habitats
      • Ai Weiwei
      • Philippe Becker Design
      • CEBRA
      • Chadwick Studio
      • Mark Dion with Nitin Jayaswal
      • Fritz Haeg
      • Jensen Architects
      • Amy Lambert
      • Nathan Lynch
      • Ogrydziak/Prillinger Architects
      • Surface Design Inc.
      • Taalman Koch Architecture
    • The Marvelous Museum: A Mark Dion Project
    • Pae White: In Between the Outside-In
    • Chris Drury: Mushrooms | Clouds
    • Shi Guorui: Reproduction and Refashioning
    • Richard Long: The Path Is the Place Is the Line
    • New Work by Cornelia Parker
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Field Notes

  • Allison Stone talks Art in the Presidio

  • Art in the Parks and “Home Land Security”: A Partner’s Perspective

  • Q&A with “Home Land Security” Curator Cheryl Haines

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Sanctuary Salon (February 23, 2018)

Sanctuary Salon (February 23, 2018)

Echoing Sanctuary's ethos of plurality, the "Sanctuary Salon" series weaves together the voices of artists whose practices span creative disciplines, including ...

Brendan Fernandes: Safely (2017)

Brendan Fernandes: Safely (2017)

As part of his commission for "Sanctuary," Brendan Fernandes presented a site-specific durational performance that explored themes of reverence and sacred ...

Panel Discussion: Approaching the Rug as a Critical Form

Panel Discussion: Approaching the Rug as a Critical Form

Panel Discussion "Above the Rug: Approaching the Rug as a Critical Form" February 11, 2018 Historically and traditionally, rugs are a medium for cultural ...

Sanctuary

Sanctuary



Sanctuary Salon (January 26, 2018)

Sanctuary Salon (January 26, 2018)

Echoing the ethos of plurality embodied within FOR-SITE's exhibition "Sanctuary," the "Sanctuary Salon" series weaves together the voices of artists whose ...

Sanctuary Salon (December 14, 2017)

Sanctuary Salon (December 14, 2017)

Echoing the ethos of plurality embodied within FOR-SITE's exhibition "Sanctuary," the "Sanctuary Salon" series weaves together the voices of artists whose ...

Twitter

  • It's a full house (er, Chapel) tonight for FOR-SITE's first #Sanctuary Salon https://t.co/ABOANPBfeV
  • Happening now: Free #silkscreening workshops with #SanctuaryPrintShop outside #Sanctuary @FortMasoninSF Chapel https://t.co/4BGs628mct

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  • Continuing this week’s look through FOR-SITE’s past 15 years, today we’re visiting 2014 when we transformed Alcatraz Island with the monumental works of one of the greatest artists of our time, @aiww. Nearly 900,000 people experienced “@ Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz,” and over 7,000 tickets were distributed to underserved schools and community groups. The exhibition became a watershed moment for FOR-SITE, guiding us toward an ethos of social engagement that continues to shape our projects and exhibitions. __ Partnerships have always been a cornerstone of FOR-SITE’s work. Indeed, “@ Large” was a tremendous undertaking for us, and we couldn’t have done it without the support and collaboration of our project partners @nationalparkservice and @Parks4All. The exhibition also relied heavily on volunteer support. @aiww’s iconic “Trace” installation was assembled largely through the work of volunteers — 82 in all! And finally, to make the exhibition truly come to life, we turned to a dedicated corps of Art Guides. If you visited the exhibition, chances are your experience of it was made all the richer by their insights and thoughtful engagement. __ Help FOR-SITE as we prepare for another 15 years of presenting boundary-pushing #ArtAboutPlace by making a donation today. Follow the link in our profile to make an online donation.
  • Today we’re heading all the way back to FOR-SITE’s origins up in Nevada City on our 50-acre residency site. The residency program ran from 2005 - 2009, and saw FOR-SITE collaborating with a range of institutional partners to select artists and present the work created during the residencies. Included here are images from @Corneliaparkerartist’s “Anti-Mass” exhibited at @ybca from her 2005 residency; Shi Guorui’s exhibition “Reproduction and Refashioning” at @deyoungmuseum created during his 2006 residency; and @markdionstudio’s “The Marvelous Museum” at @oaklandmuseumca that the artist developed as part of his 2009 residency. __ More information about these and other FOR-STIE residency projects is available via the link in our profile.
  • This week we’re hopscotching through FOR-SITE’s history to highlight some of our favorite moments of our past 15 years. Although we were founded in 2003, we’re kicking things off with a visit to 2008 and the installation of #AndyGoldsworthy’s “Spire” in @presidiosf. Beloved by the Bay Area community, “Spire,” became a hallmark of FOR-SITE’s work to highlight the unique history of our parklands. __ When “Spire” was first installed, the reforested trees around it were barely more than saplings. A decade later, almost half the height of “Spire”’s 90ft are obscured by the trees. Eventually, the whole of “Spire” will be hidden within a mature forest of trees — no longer a visible landmark on our landscape, but a beautiful monument of its history. __ If you’ve enjoyed FOR-SITE projects such as “Spire,” consider making a year-end donation to help support our future exhibitions. Follow the link in our profile to make an online donation. __ #ArtAboutPlace
  • 2018 marks FOR-SITE’s 15th anniversary! From our founding in 2003 hosting artist residencies in Nevada City to the large-scale public art exhibitions that followed, FOR-SITE has consistently pushed the boundaries of “art about place.” Help us celebrate and get us ready for the next 15 years by making a donation this #GivingTuesday. To make a gift online, visit the link in our profile. As a thank you for your support, we’d love for you to stop by our office and select a commemorative FOR-SITE item from our archives, including Ai Weiwei books and exhibition swag, “Sanctuary” socks and catalogues, and more. Lastly, don’t forget to stay tuned throughout the week for posts sharing some of our favorite moments from the past 15 years! #ArtAboutPlace

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Field Notes

  • Allison Stone talks Art in the Presidio

  • Art in the Parks and “Home Land Security”: A Partner’s Perspective

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