12th St and Washington

Victor Mario Zaballa / San Fracisco, CA

Victor Mario Zaballa, a San Francisco artist, collected stories and photographs from the nearby neighborhoods to create a series of quilt-patterned walls of handpainted tiles. On the traffic side of the station platform, the patterned tiles reflect the art deco details on the surrounding historic buildings. On the commuter side of the platform, the colorfully painted tiles showcase area landmarks and honor dynamic neighborhood residents, evoking the history of the community through its celebrations and community events. The quilt patterns recall the universal role of quilts common through all the cultures of the world.

This theme is continued in rustic terrazzo pavers set throughout the walkways and brightly painted steel railings; the railings have the look of Mexican paper cuts, which are spaced between the tiled walls to complete the station.