The Albany Bulb (aka The Bulb) exists in an urban vacuum. It’s a magical chunk of land in the Bay Area, one of the few that still allows creativity to run free, with some of the best views in the world.
It’s decay, change and growth happen without the approval of authorities. It is a haven for society’s marginalized—the homeless, bored teenagers, and those who simply wish to play and create without oversight. But when you visit, you don’t see that...what you do see is the contributions of its artists, both graffiti and sculptural, to the park.
They do have a marked trail that you can follow and admire the graffiti and sculptures all around you….but we meandered and found so many hidden spray-painted messages along the rocky edge of the shore. All detours eventually meet the trail.
Among the more notable pieces are a series of large driftwood sculptures made by Scott Hewitt, Scott Meadows and David Ryan; a concrete TV; dragon sculpture; and something known as “The Castle”, which is an eroding concrete shelter covered in graffiti.
The Bulb sits between The Eastshore State Park directly south east of it are the Golden Gate Fields, the only commercial race track in the Bay Area. The city of Albany lies directly to the east. The Bulb is an estuarial habitat housing geese, ducks, and various birds, as well as reptile and mammal populations.
Address: 1 Buchanan St, Albany, CA 94706