If you’ve ever given even half a damn about skateboarding, you recognize the Vaillancourt Fountain at Embarcadero as a silent witness to some of the coolest street skating in history. It is an iconic structure at an iconic plaza, just steps from an iconic waterfront. And it’s about to be torn down.
Skateboarding Meets SF Architecture History in Stunning ‘Epicenter’
‘Aaron Curry,’ July 1990. (Jacob Rosenberg)
At the beginning of November, the San Francisco Arts Commission voted to dismantle the Vaillancourt. The vote followed a removal request from the San Francisco Parks Department, which cited health and safety concerns. Dismantling and moving the 55-year-old brutalist structure into storage would be, by all estimates, significantly more affordable than restoring it to full working order. The Vaillancourt’s days, then, are more than likely numbered.
A wave of objections followed the decision, with some of the loudest coming from the skateboarding community. That group has already witnessed the removal of most of Embarcadero’s most legendary skate features, including the C-Block, Gonz Gap and, up the street, Hubba Hideout.
With that in mind, the arrival of Epicenter by Jacob Rosenberg is perfectly timed. This new, gloriously tactile two-book set goes deep into the architectural, social and skateboarding history of what was once known as Justin Herman Plaza. One book is an assortment of Rosenberg’s skate photography at Embarcadero between 1990 and 1993. The other is a collection of musings and interviews about all things EMB, featuring the likes of Mike Carroll, Rick Ibaseta and James Kelch.
The end result is a fascinating examination of the legendary skate spot from every conceivable angle. Epicenter is limited; only 1,000 copies will be produced.
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The most interesting essay comes from skater and historian Ted Barrow, who provides an engrossing history of how the Embarcadero Plaza came to be in the first place — even down to the red bricks and the shapes of the concrete.
“While the sixties were characterized by curvilinear biomorphic or circular forms,” Barrow writes, “the seventies and early eighties were marked by sharp diagonal angles that look almost computerized: think of it like the transition between The Jetsons (1962) … to the dark angular sleekness of Tron (1982), released the same year that Turnbull’s Embarcadero Plaza renovation was completed.”
Later, Anthony G. Pappalardo draws a convincing parallel between skating in the 1990s at Embarcadero and music at New York’s CBGB in the late ’70s. “Like CBGB,” Pappalardo points out, “a creative scene grew from skateboarding, leading to new brands, artists, videographers and, of course, pros.”
It’s the small details, though, that truly elevate Epicenter. The photo book includes fun, fold-out spreads. The essay book includes architectural blueprints of Embarcadero Plaza. The set comes with a gigantic poster featuring scores of tiny snapshots of Rosenberg’s skate video footage from the era. There’s even an art print of some of Embarcadero’s long lost ledges, painted by Eric Merrell. The love and reverence Rosenberg holds for Embarcadero is reflected in every aspect of the set.
Epicenter is also a pertinent reminder of how quickly and often San Francisco transforms itself. The set asks the reader to appreciate their favorite features of the city every day that they still exist. A Thrasher interview quote by Greg S. Carrol from 1999 sums it up:
“There could never be another Embarcadero. Some of us spent hundreds of hours at Embarco. This just goes to show every one of you — don’t take anything for granted, whether it’s something as simple as brushing your teeth or something as fun as skating your favorite spot with your best friends, because someday it might be gone.”
‘Epicenter’ by Jacob Rosenberg is available now. An accompanying exhibition is on show at GCS Agency (201 Jackson St, San Francisco) through January 11, 2026.
