City Guides
Five tiled stairways you have to check out around San Francisco
Savannah Schoelen / October 08, 2024October is SF Stairway Month, and we’re celebrating the 900+ public stairways across San Francisco!
With a plethora of stairways across the city, arguably the most iconic are the city’s notorious tiled stairways. SF Parks Alliance has supported many community groups working on public stairway projects, including the Hidden Garden Steps, Tompkins Stairway Garden, and Burnside Mural+ whose tile installation is currently underway.
Learn about these stairways and others below, and RSVP to this guided walk across five of the city’s most loved tiled staircases taking place on October 13 to see them all in one go! We’ll be joined by Renee Berger, the Project Manager at Burnside Mural+, and Aileen Barr and Colette Crutcher, the tile artists behind many of these stairways. You can find a full schedule of SF Stairway Month events here.
Tompkins Stairway
Tompkins Stairway Garden was once a trash-covered hillside, but is now a welcoming and vibrant pedestrian corridor with a drought-tolerant garden and colored tiled stairway thanks to dedicated neighbors. One of their founding members, Andre Rothblatt, designed the multicolored, zigzag stairway that was inspired by the Steps to Peace painted by youth in the Syrian town of Deir Atiyah. The Tompkins Stairs can be found in southeast Bernal Heights between Nevada and Putnam Streets.
Burnside Steps
Burnside Mural+ is a resident-led initiative to create a visual representation of the colorful history of Glen park and Glen Canyon through both a mural and tiled stairway. Aileen Barr and Colette Crutcher designed the mosaic stairs in a way that harmonizes with the mural, echoing Islais Creek just under the stairs with schools of fish, reflections of passing birds, embankments of wildflowers, and sunset. Nearby residents and project admirers helped fund the project by sponsoring “legacy tiles” with personalized inscriptions that will be memorialized in the design throughout the stairway. The tiled stairway is scheduled to be completed this October!
Miraloma Steps (Dragon’s Tale)
The Miraloma Steps, commonly known as Dragon’s Tale Staircase, begin on Bella Vista Way and lead you to Miraloma Elementary School. What was once a dilapidated staircase is now an educational public art piece, designed by none other than Aileen Barr and Colette Crutcher. A dragon serves as the centerpiece of the stairs – it starts with the tip of its tail, then moves to its claws and body, eventually leading to its head where it breathes out fire and smoke, then reaches all the way to the solar system near the entrance of the school.
16th Avenue Tiled Steps
The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps, located on Moraga Street between 15th and 16th Avenue, is a product of neighborhood collaboration to create a “sea to stars” themed mosaic that flows up the 163 step stairway. Artists Aileen Barr and Colette Crutcher were chosen by and collaborated with neighbors in the creation of the design. Neighbors also helped fund the project by sponsoring handmade tiles in the shapes of animals, fish, and shells with personalized inscriptions that can be found throughout the mosaic.
Hidden Garden Steps
The Hidden Garden Steps project is a volunteer-driven, community-based effort to create another mosaic-tiled stairway and public gardens in the Inner Sunset district. Nestled on 16th Avenue between Kirkham and Lawton Street, the steps are truly a “hidden” gem” that offers the perfect escape from the busy city. Aileen Barr and Colette Crutcher were the artists behind the beautiful mosaic that blends art, nature, and community spirit.