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With More Buildings Bearing Corporate Names, is the Bay Area Becoming a 'Brandopolis'?

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The Transamerica Pyramid and Salesforce Tower peek through light fog on January 31, 2018 in San Francisco, California. (Photo: Justin Sullican/Getty Images)

Salesforce Transit Center. Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Chase Center. In recent years, corporate logos have appeared on a growing number of public buildings and structures throughout the Bay Area. The names are prominent advertising for companies and in instances where cities own the land, a source of revenue for cash-strapped municipalities and agencies. And it’s not just office buildings and stadiums. Earlier this year, Caltrain voted to pursue the sale of naming rights for its stations that could be purchased by local companies and wealthy individuals. We’ll discuss what’s behind this trend and what it says about the changing face of the Bay Area. How do you feel about the branding of public structures?

Related:
Goodbye, San Francisco. Hello, Brandopolis (San Francisco Chronicle)

Guests:

John King, urban design critic, San Francisco Chronicle<br />

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