Diego Rivera’s Pan American Unity mural holds immense cultural significance as a vivid representation of the artist’s vision for unity across the Americas. Featuring a vibrant tapestry of figures that weave together historical, cultural, and industrial scenes from various regions, the artwork emphasizes the interconnectedness and solidarity between these diverse nations in the Americas.
The Diego Rivera Theater
City College of San Francisco
Location
San Francisco, California
Owner
City College of San Francisco
Architect of Record: TEF Design
Acoustics: Jaffee Holden
Theatrical / AV Consultant: The Shalleck Collaborative, Inc.
Structural Engineering: SOHA Engineers
Mechanical & Electrical Engineering: Interface Engineering
Plumbing Engineering: MHC Engineering
Civil Engineering: BKF Engineers
Landscape Architecture: Creo Landscape Architecture
Lighting Design: HLB Lighting
Cost Estimating: Directional Logic
Project Size
77,000 square feet
Seating Capacity
600 seat Auditorium, 150 seat Studio Theatre
Project Status
In Progress
Certifications
Targeting LEED New Construction Gold
Services
Architecture, Interior Design
The Diego Rivera Theater is set to become the cultural heart of the City College of San Francisco campus. Situated in a new academic precinct along Frida Kahlo Avenue, the Theater will be the home of Diego Rivera’s Pan American Unity mural while providing a central base for the music and drama academic departments.
The building’s program includes three concrete blocks of differing sizes, each containing a separate performance venue. The blocks are united by a frame that also wraps around the mural lobby, where the mural will reside. The venues include a 600-seat performance hall, 150-seat studio theater, and 100-seat recital hall- all optimized for different performance experiences. The building will also contain plentiful instructional spaces, practice rooms, and administrative offices.
Designed to be a centerpiece on the City College of San Francisco campus, the Diego Rivera Theater will support its educational mission while also being a destination for visitors to San Francisco and an anchor of the local arts community.
Photography: San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
Diego Rivera, The Marriage of the Artistic Expression of the North and of the South on This Continent, also known as Pan American Unity, 1940; courtesy City College of San Francisco; © Banco de México Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo Museums Trust, Mexico City / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
