Sydney G. Walton Square

Sydney G. Walton Square is a 2-acre public park located in the Northern Waterfront area of San Francisco, California, just west of the Embarcadero. Named after San Francisco banker Sydney Grant Walton, the park was designed by landscape architect Peter Walker as part of the Golden Gateway urban renewal project.

The park's design was inspired by the concept of an alpine meadow, with the open green space representing the meadow and the surrounding high-rise buildings and townhouses symbolizing mountains. The landscape features expansive lawns separated by curvilinear concrete paths, groves of pines, willows, and poplars, and an old masonry arch covered with ivy - the only remaining structure from San Francisco's historical produce district known as the Colombo Market.

Sydney G. Walton Square is notable for its collection of public artworks, which were installed as part of a $1 million allocation for public art required by the Golden Gateway developers. The centerpiece of the park is the "Fountain of Four Seasons," a cast bronze sculpture by François Stahly. Other notable sculptures in the park include Jim Dine's "Big Heart on the Rock," Marisol Escobar's "Portrait of Georgia O'Keeffe," George Rickey's "Two Open Rectangles," Joan Brown's "Pine Tree Obelisk," and Benny Bufano's "The Penguins."

The park serves as a popular lunchtime gathering place for people working in the nearby Financial District and provides a peaceful retreat from the urban environment. It offers a mix of sunny and shaded areas, with deciduous trees along the street providing seating and shade. Berms around the perimeter of the site help to buffer the park from surrounding streets, enhancing its sense of tranquility.