What is the mission of anonymous-looking urban buildings?
Stealth-mode buildings discourage interaction. And most businesses seek just the opposite, choosing to build brand awareness and customer engagement. Yet, San Francisco’s Bayshore, an industrial enclave within the larger Bayview neighborhood, is thick with gray, unnamed structures that aspire to anonymity. Razor-wire fences, metal-barred windows, and glaring motion-activated lights are the most memorable features of these mini-fortresses.
We’re meant to conclude that there’s “nothing to see here.” But it’s probably just the opposite. These days we assume this bunker mentality is mandated by their lawyers or insurers. Even small businesses take maximal security measures, regardless of their actual risk or potential liabilities. Are hostile looking buildings simply physical shelters or the expression of a company’s dark view about everyone lurking beyond their gates? In my view, this safety posture vibe sows distrust and alienation.
I’m at work on a documentary project that explores urban industrial areas, but I’m not intending to celebrate their often hostile vibe. On the contrary, I’m aiming to expose and explain it, and reveal the weirdness and humor I find in these strangely compelling spaces. I’m sharing some of this new work on Instagram, and there’s much more yet to come. Let me know if you have any thoughts or ideas you’d like me to consider.