What exactly makes a neighborhood?

The 5M project is a four-acre development at Mission and 5th Streets that includes the historic San Francisco Chronicle Building and incorporates affordable arts and community spaces as part of its core. A critical aspect of the plan focuses on welcoming (rather than displacing) the surrounding existing community.

The site will accommodate a number of cultural and community-based anchors including Tech Shop, Intersection for the Arts, and The Hub (a co-working space focused on social impact). 5M will also include two new residential buildings and an office tower totaling 1.8 million square feet.

Volume developed a brand that embodies 5M’s values and helps convey the project as a place of vibrancy and openness, with porous property boundaries that are welcoming to the existing neighbors and new residents alike, facilitating greater social and professional exchange.

Illustrations of the site convey its character and culture, providing a tactile expression of the intimate humanity that drives the 5M development.
We also commissioned a photo series of the neighborhood residents—artists, office workers, shop owners, philanthropists, and community leaders—who were each photographed in their living/working environment at the 5M site.

Short documentary films were created to highlight both 5M’s existing neighbors and its newcomers. (This is the first in the series.)

The website provides the philosophy behind the development and tales of its rich past and future plans.
The social media strategy and design system provide 5M staff customized templates to highlight the site features and its diverse community.