The latest laser art installation from Illuminate, the nonprofit behind the Bay Lights and other large-scale public art projects, is now emanating from the iconic Transamerica Pyramid, and it looks absolutely spectacular. Visible from spots across the city — Ina Coolbrith Park, Pier 7, the Financial District — the display transforms the skyline into something that feels genuinely futuristic. One SF resident who drove around town catching different vantage points put it simply: "It's easy to love SF on nights like this."
Hard to argue.
Here's what makes this worth highlighting beyond the cool factor: this is the kind of cultural investment that actually works. Illuminate has a track record of creating public art that draws people out of their apartments and into the streets — no tax-funded committee meetings, no multi-year environmental review, no $4 million consulting contract to determine if lasers are equitable. It's a private nonprofit partnering with a private building to create something the entire public can enjoy for free.
That's the model we should be celebrating. Not every good thing in a city has to flow through a government budget line item. When private organizations and property owners step up to make San Francisco more vibrant, they deserve recognition — especially in a city where so much public spending produces so little visible return.
So if you haven't seen it yet, grab a friend, pick a hilltop or a waterfront pier, and go enjoy the show. It's one of those rare moments where the city delivers exactly what it promises on the brochure.
No supervisors required.
