"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. 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."
"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."
The Vaillancourt Fountain at Embarcadero is a 55-year-old brutalist structure and a historic skateboarding landmark slated for dismantling after a San Francisco Parks Department removal request cited health and safety concerns. Dismantling and storage are expected to be significantly more affordable than full restoration, making preservation unlikely. The Epicenter set documents Embarcadero's skate history with photography, essays, architectural blueprints, fold-out spreads, a poster of Rosenberg's skate footage, and an art print by Eric Merrell. The materials trace the plaza's design details, celebrate the creative scene that emerged, and underscore San Francisco's rapid transformations.
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