Downtown SF, the community benefit district which serves the Financial District and Jackson Square, has kicked off its inaugural holiday projection mapping event, Let’s Glow SF. The event is scheduled to run December 3-12 in downtown San Francisco to generate economic recovery.

“The pandemic deeply impacted the downtown 9-5 workforce population,” said Robbie Silver, executive director of Downtown SF, the community benefit district. “The inherent lesson is that we can no longer be just a financial district, downtown San Francisco needs to pivot and pivot quickly to attract a more diverse range of people, businesses, and uses. Let’s Glow SF features world-renowned artists on iconic buildings and is the first of many efforts to encourage Bay Area residents to see and experience downtown in a different, more welcoming light.”

A tour of four towering buildings throughout Downtown San Francisco will each feature show-stopping projections that light up the night, according to Downtown SF, the community benefit district. Each show will be five minutes long and run every 5 minutes at the following locations:

• One Bush Plaza
• 345 Montgomery St.
• Pacific Stock Exchange at 301 Pine St.
• Hyatt Regency at 5 Embarcadero Center

Each building’s projection was designed specifically for the location by local and international artists and tells an enchanting story that celebrates the holiday season. Downtown SF created Let’s Glow SF with its partner A3 Visual.

“Projection mapping is an exciting art form because it marries art, technology, and public space while activating architecture in iconic cities,” said Sean Mason, chief technology officer, A3 Visual. “This particular project is unique for many reasons, we are building a foundation for a truly immersive activation and also creating space for collaboration between many types of artists—animators, painters, digital artists, etc. Because the artists are all working together, they have access to a canvas that is larger than anything they would work on individually, allowing for incredible art to be born.”

This event leverages 18, 4K projectors from Panasonic. These 3-Chip DLP SOLID SHINE laser projectors will be placed in custom-built outdoor enclosures and operated by Modulo Pi media servers and will deliver eye-catching visuals, providing realistic color-rich images that put event goers at the center of the action.