PG&E Mission Substation

A Renewed Mission

client

Pacific Gas & Electric Company
location

San Francisco, CA
size

432 LF perimeter, 4,000 SF facade restoration

TEF retrofitted the exterior of PG&E’s historic Mission Substation in San Francisco’s SOMA district, adding security, texture, and focus to the public realm at the corner of 8th and Mission streets. The project was the second in a series of substation improvements for the utility.

Large urban utility building at dusk with monumental concrete walls, illuminated vertical fins, sculptural reliefs, and glowing corner screening; traffic light trails animate the intersection in the foreground.

A Better Neighbor for a Changing SOMA

PG&E asked TEF to update the building’s exterior to meet the needs of the evolving SOMA neighborhood, while maintaining the structure’s striking original reliefs. Originally designed in 1948 by William Merchant, the travertine-clad structure features two WPA-style bas-reliefs by artist Robert B. Howard. Throughout the renovation, the design team balanced new work with the building’s monumental character. TEF repaired and reworked an obsolete ventilation shaft, shielding it with stainless steel mesh and resin panels; at night, its backlit grille glowed softly like a lantern. Additional lighting illuminated the security screen and washed the faces of the existing planter walls. The improvements helped this enduring piece of infrastructure function as a better neighbor within the community.

Street-level view of an urban utility building with perforated metal enclosures and sculptural vertical fins along the façade, with pedestrians and street trees lining the sidewalk.

Security with a Sculptural Edge

TEF replaced fence and barbed wire along the site with a series of locally crafted, ribbon-like steel plates. Assembled in an arc behind the existing concrete planter walls, the plates twisted, transitioning from an opaque screen at the bottom to an open grille at the top. The screen provided security while harmonizing with the building’s massive architectural presence. TEF also incorporated a new security gate into the exterior improvements.