Defenestration Building

Defenestration means the act of throwing something or someone out the window, and that is exactly what the Defenestration Building showcases. At the corner of 6th and Howard Street in San Francisco, CA, the vacant Hugo Hotel has become an art landmark with its various pieces of animated furniture and everyday objects seemingly being through out the windows.

The ground level showcases a rotating gallery of artwork of street muralists. "Defenestration" was created by Brian Goggin with the help of 100 neighborhood volunteers. Completed in 1997, this sculpture was only expected to last for a year, but it has now withstood the weather for over a decade.

Creating the building brought the entire community together, and since its completion, several neighboring buildings have been restored or replaced. The Defenestration building is the last remaining unoccupied and un-restored building in the neighborhood. It has undergone a couple rounds of maintenance, but now needs extensive reconstruction if it is to remain.

Due to the extreme state of disrepair, the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency is looking to build low-income housing on the site; however, the agency has agreed to keep the landmark alive for a minimum of 18 months or until a developer is found as long as the site meets safety regulations.

Operation Restore Defenestration is currently underway.