SOMA Pilipinas is releasing two RFPs for the SOMA Pilipinas Masterplan and SOMA Pilipinas Design Toolkit and Lookbook. We are looking for professional architects and designer consultants who have strong professional and community-related experience.
Review the following RFPs and submit final proposals in pDF format to raquel@somapilipinas.org by April 12, 2024 at 12PM.
SOMA Pilipinas Masterplan RFP
Contact: raquel@somapilipinas.org
Fee Budget: $65,000
Please email raquel@somapilpinas.org if you are interested in applying by Friday, March 29 with any questions you may have about the RFP. Please include your phone number. Proposals Due on April 12, 2024. Please email final proposals in pdf format to raquel@somapilipinas.org.
Proposals should be in narrative form answering the following questions in five pages or less.
Name, contact, background, and pertinent experience of the organization, team and/or consultant(s) to complete the deliverables below.
Names and qualifications of staff or team who will be working on the project. Please highlight any experience and knowledge of Filipino culture, designs, and iconography.
Experience working with community groups or non-profit groups. Please highlight any direct experience with Filipino community groups.
Experience working with San Francisco city agencies specifically the Planning Department, Department of Public Works,San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
Please include a link with up to 3 samples of similar work completed.
Background:
The objective of the SOMA Pilipinas Masterplan is to consolidate previously completed studies, public realm and land use data, and community plans into a comprehensive, district-wide SOMA Pilipinas masterplan that can strengthen the visual identity and experience in San Francisco’s Filipino Cultural Heritage District . The masterplan shall provide a vision and recommendations on how private and public entities can contribute and partner with SOMA Pilipinas to improve and enhance the district by creating connected open and green spaces, public artwork and art corridors, and public realm improvements of various sizes and function (e.g. signage, cultural markers, small parks, plazas, and commercial corridors, etc). This effort would prioritize visual identity, and creative place-keeping and place-making opportunities.
SOMA Pilipinas seeks to provide City agencies, developers and other entities a Masterplan for a vision of the Filipino Cultural Heritage District for the short and long term benefit of the community - residents, cultural institutions, small businesses, visitors and tourists. For example, a very busy, trafficked street can become a safer “complete street” and cultural corridor with signage, way-finding, building treatments, public artwork, plazas, and pedestrian lighting incorporating Filipino design elements.
The proposed masterplan will build on previous efforts such as the SOMA Pilipinas Design Charrette Report, SOMA Pilipinas Brand Guidelines, National Endowment for the Arts Creative Place-making Report and Portfolio, the SOMA Pilipinas Cultural History, Housing, and Economic Sustainability Strategies Report, and Illuminating Yerba Buena Report. Additional data on existing cultural assets and amenities, and upcoming development and public realm projects such as affordable housing projects, new parks, and street improvements will be provided to the selected firm and will serve as foundational information to build on.
Reports can be found here: https://www.somapilipinas.org/mission-vision
Approach:
The selected firm will work closely with SOMA Pilipinas staff to develop and complete the report with data from City agencies.
Deliverables:
SOMA Pilipinas Masterplan Illustrative and Written Narrative Full Report with the following:
Programming and Placemaking Diagram
Identified key corridors, gateways, open space, and development sites
Perspectives of key areas with enlargement plans
District-wide Mobility, Pathways, and Circulation diagrams
Proposals for Design Guidelines for the City’s public realm departments
Public presentations to community, City agencies, and other stakeholders
Short version of the report/presentation deck
Timeline:
8-10 weeks, May-June 2024
The team shall also collaborate with other Consultant(s) who will develop a separate Design ToolKit and Lookbook report with design guidelines, samples, and recommendations for district-wide identity and branding.
SOMA Pilipinas Design Toolkit and Lookbook RFP
Contact: raquel@somapilipinas.org
Fee Budget: $20,000
Please email raquel@somapilpinas.org if you are interested in applying by Friday, March 29. Proposals Due on April 12, 2024. Please email final proposals in pdf format to raquel@somapilipinas.org
Proposals shall be in narrative form answering the following questions in five pages or less.
Name, contact, background, and pertinent experience of the organization or consultant to complete the deliverables below.
Names and qualifications of staff or team who will be working on the project.
Experience working with community groups or non-profit organizations.
Experience working with architects, designers and other creative professionals.
Please include 1-2 samples of similar work completed.
Background:
The objective of the SOMA Pilipinas Design Toolkit and Lookbook is to provide ideas, samples, and designs to private and public entities to be able to contribute to the developing of a strong visual identity for SOMA Pilipinas that can also complement the SOMA Pilipinas Masterplan in strengthening the visual identity and experience in San Francisco’s Filipino Cultural Heritage District . The visual report shall provide a vision and practical ideas on how private and public entities can contribute to improving the visual and cultural experience in SOMA Pilipinas through architectural, design, and artistic public realm improvements of various sizes and function (e.g. signage, cultural markers, small parks, plazas, and commercial corridors, etc). This effort would prioritize visual identity, cultural iconography and opportunities for creative place-keeping, placemaking, and wayfinding in the district.
SOMA Pilipinas seeks to provide City agencies, developers and other entities a toolkit and lookbook to share vision and enhance the experience for the Filipino Cultural Heritage District for the short and long term benefit of the community - residents, cultural institutions, small businesses, visitors and tourists. For example, a new affordable housing or open space development can integrate Filipino design motifs on their building or amenities to contribute to the visual identity of the district.
The SOMA Pilipinas Design Toolkit and Lookbook will build on previous efforts such as the SOMA Pilipinas Design Charrette Report, SOMA Pilipinas Brand Guidelines, National Endowment for the Arts Creative Place-making Report and Portfolio, and Illuminating Yerba Buena Report. The report will include recommendations and samples of actual designs.
Reports can be found here: https://www.somapilipinas.org/mission-vision
Approach:
The selected firm will work closely with SOMA Pilipinas staff and Masterplan consultants.
Deliverables:
The SOMA Pilipinas Design Toolkit and Lookbook Full Report shall include:
Illustrative and Written Narrative
Elaboration of SOMA Pilipinas brand application to design elements
Samples and highlights from previous reports and portfolio.
Recommendations on approach to design
Samples of designs, materials, and iconography
Proposals for Design elements for the City’s public realm departments
Public presentations to community, City agencies, and other stakeholders
Short version of the report/presentation deck
Timeline:
8-10 weeks, May-June 2024
The team shall also collaborate with other Consultant(s) who will develop a separate Masterplan report and align timelines so that they happen concurrently, and shall collaborate with relevant city departments such as the Planning Department, Department of Public Works, and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to ensure consistency and integration with existing city processes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the key stakeholders?
SOMA Pilipinas, community groups, cultural institutions, private developers, City public realm departments.
Have consultants been selected?
Not yet. Both teams will be selected on a similar timeline.
What is the approval Process?
SOMA PIlipinas team will review and score the applications and conduct interviews as needed.
Can one firm propose on both RFPs, and is it possible that one firm could be selected to deliver on both RFPs?
Yes
How many presentations to the public will be required in this project?
Up to 3 presentations.
Are there parameters, expectations, or guidelines regarding the design elements for the city’s public realm departments (locations, quantities, budgets, types)?
No, the selected teams will need to connect with the departments to discuss what types of design elements can be recommended.
Will the toolkit process be independent of the masterplan process?
Yes.
Does the toolkit process need to wait for the masterplan to be completed to inform our deliverables?
No, although we would like the two teams to talk with each other and coordinate.
How will the lookbook team be working with the masterplan team
At least 2 meetings to coordinate how the 2 plans can work together.
Perspectives of key areas with enlargement plans - Are you expecting professional renderings?
Yes, we prefer that the final report will be in the form of a presentation deck that is highly visual.
Samples of designs, materials, and iconography: Does it require physical samples?-
No physical samples required. This can all be visual designs and renderings