Matson Building
This belvedere (architectural structure built in an elevated position to provide lighting and ventilation and to command a fine view) is atop the Matson Building at 215 Market Street in San Francisco. The building constructed between 1922 and 1924 to serve as the headquarters for the Matson Navigation Company, a prominent shipping and transportation company operating between the West Coast and Hawaii. It is now used for offices of PG&E.
It was designed by the architectural firm Bliss & Faville in the Renaissance Revival style, has several notable design features:
- 16-story skyscraper divided into three sections, giving it a column-like appearance with a base, shaft, and capital
- Lower and upper sections feature extensive ornamentation and terra cotta cladding[
- Decorative elements made of terra cotta, including custom ornamental details symbolizing the Matson Navigation Company
- Two color tones used - cream colored terra cotta with a reflective sheen, and turquoise blue-green terra cotta blocks for contrast and emphasis
- Renaissance Revival style with arcaded four-story capital and rusticated nine-story shaft
- Rich four-story base with three-story columns and a central entry arch
- Fine terra cotta detailing typical of Bliss & Faville's work
An 8-story annex was added in 1945-1947, designed to match the exterior and interior of the original building for additional office space.
The Matson Building was a significant fixture in San Francisco-Hawaii commerce, housing the mainland offices of several Hawaiian companies in addition to Matson Navigation. The building's design, with its column-like divisions, rich ornamentation, and custom terra cotta details, exemplifies the prosperity of the Matson Navigation Company and represents a significant work of Renaissance Revival architecture in San Francisco.
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
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