What: An international call for ideas that identify new urban possibilities for downtown San Francisco’s Market Street, responding to the disruptions caused by the pandemic, remote work, and other cultural changes. This is a time to think differently, to escape the traps embedded in techniques and assumptions of the past, and venture into the speculative possibilities of an urbanism not yet discovered. Using San Francisco’s Market Street as a subject, we ask competitors “How might a new set of ideas be developed to address the challenges in post-pandemic city cores enabling them to flourish in ways that are economically viable and experientially uplifting?”

Competition Co-Sponsors: The Urban Land Institute San Francisco (ULI SF) and the Civic Joy Fund are co-sponsors of this ideas competition. They are committed to a thriving and revitalized San Francisco and a Market Street that is brimming with people and activity. More information about the competition co-sponsors can be found here.

Who Should Enter: Open to all who have vision toward the future. Residents, business owners, urbanists, optimists, visionaries, community builders, students, professionals, and anyone who can think in creative and unexpected ways.

Prize Fund: $100,000 USD to be administered by the jury to a pool of winners. Once submissions are reviewed, an esteemed jury will select a pool of winners and administer the $100,000 prize fund. The jury will determine the distribution of the fund.

The Jury: The jury is hosted by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie and is comprised of multi-disciplinary experts from the fields of planning, economics, real estate, architecture, landscape urbanism, philanthropy, academia, civic leadership, and the arts. Learn more about the jury here.

• Po Bronson, General Partner & Managing Director, IndieBio / SOSV
• Candace Damon, Partner & Co-Chair, HR&A Advisors
• Walter Hood, Creative Director & Founder, Hood Design Studios
• Jony Ive, Founder, LoveFrom
• John King, Urban Design Critic, formerly San Francisco Chronicle
• John Pritzker, Founding Partner & Director, Geolo Capital; Chairman, John Pritzker Family Fund
• Becca Prowda, Community Leader & First Lady of San Francisco
• Janette Sadik-Khan, Principal, Bloomberg Associates; former Commissioner, NYC Department of Transportation
• Stanley Saitowitz, Founder, Stanley Saitowitz/Natoma Architects Inc; Professor Emeritus of Architecture, University of California, Berkeley
• Harriet Tregoning, Senior Advisor, New Urban Mobility Alliance
• More to be announced.

Norman Foster, Founder & Executive Chairman, Foster + Partners will award a Special Innovation Prize.

Scope: Ideas of all scales and topics are welcomed, including physical, spatial, operational, use, economic, policy, and any other strategies that can produce positive outcomes. The goal is to generate exciting, transformative visions for Market Street that would make the City proud and attract visitors and businesses from around the globe. Find more detailed information about the competition scope here.

How to Enter: Online registration is required for entry with a non-refundable registration fee of $75 USD. Register to enter online here. A packet of Background Materials, with base maps, photographs, data, and additional resources, is available for download here. More information on how to enter can be found here.

Submission Requirements: Only one graphic “panel” is required and must be submitted online in PDF and JPG format. Your entry panel should be anonymous and visually powerful with jargon-free text in English that clearly and concisely communicates the essence of your idea. Entries will be posted as an online display; thus, all competition entries are considered public and not confidential once submitted. The boards will be printed and displayed for judging and a public exhibition to take place in San Francisco. Entries should be formatted as a 24” by 36” vertical layout (portrait). A pre-jury screening process will disqualify any entries that do not comply with the requirements.