San Francisco’s Conservatory of Music Bowes Center is a dynamic social and cultural destination that redefines the relationship between musical education, performance, and public experience. Set within the historic Civic Center’s cultural and arts district, the Conservatory blends and asserts itself through compatible materials and proportions that echo the classical orders of its Beaux Arts surrounds. In a bold stroke, the base of the new building is stripped away through the use of highly transparent low-iron glass to visually reveal the creative activities occurring within. The San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM) is a renowned institution, founded in 1917, the conservatory offers undergraduate and graduate programs in classical, jazz, and contemporary music, and is recognized for its integration of performance, composition, technology, and entrepreneurship.

Completed in 2020 and designed by Mark Cavagnero Associates, this project represents a bold integration of architectural innovation and urban cultural infrastructure. Rising 12 stories above the Civic Center district, the vertical campus redefines the spatial model for performing arts education by embedding concert halls, classrooms, student housing, and public amenities into a compact urban footprint.

Learn more about Mark Cavagnero Associates here.

Role: Chief Creative Officer, Mark Cavagnero Associates 

Scope: The specific content and scope of this project are not disclosed herein as they are strictly confidential and proprietary. Any unauthorized disclosure or use of project-related information is prohibited.