Yet again The B1M has released an interesting video, this time focusing on building San Francisco’s tallest structure. The “Salesforce Tower” is the first in a new generation of skyscrapers reshaping the city’s skyline. From contending with mother nature (i.e being built on an earthquake zone) to keeping up with San Francisco’s massive tech scene, which called for high-end ‘smart’ office space, this building met the challenges and faced them head on with Pelli Clarke Pelli architect‘s design impressing the architectural world.
© Tim Griffith
About the Project
Salesforce Tower is the tallest building in San Francisco, joining the Golden Gate Bridge and the Transamerica Building as one of the skyline’s defining elements. Pelli Clarke Pelli won an international competition in 2007 to design the tower and the Salesforce Transit Center at its base. Together, the two buildings represent a novel approach to public-private collaboration and sustainability in an urban setting.
© Vittoria Zupicich
The competition was sponsored by the Transbay Joint Powers Authority, a public entity created by the City of San Francisco to develop the new transit centre. To help fund that building, part of the site was offered for sale to teams of developers and architects in an invited competition. Pelli Clarke Pelli and its development partner submitted a design that focuses on sustainability, neighbourhood development, and financial feasibility.
© Vittoria Zupicich
Standing 326 meters (1,070 feet) tall, the tower has the simple, timeless form of the obelisk, giving the 61-story tower a slender, tapering silhouette. The walls are composed of clear glass with pearlescent metal accents. These horizontal and vertical accents gradually taper in depth to accentuate the curved glass corners. The walls rise past the top floor to form a transparent crown that appears to dissolve into the sky. Carved into the tower top is a vertical facet that will be lit at night.
At its base, Salesforce Tower connects directly to the transit centre, which will house 11 Bay Area transit systems. On top of the Transit Center and linked directly to the tower is a 5.4-acre public park, which offers recreational, educational, and nature activities. The park has two roles: the future anchor of the neighbourhood and a key element of the project’s sustainable design strategy.
Each floor of the tower has integrated metal sunshades, calibrated to maximize light and views while reducing solar gain. High performance, a low-emissivity glass will also help to reduce the building’s cooling load. Cooling isprovided in part by heat-exchanging coils wrapped around the tower’s foundations. The tower and transit centre also include comprehensive water recycling systems. In addition, high-efficiency air-handlers take in fresh air on every floor.
Project Details
Architects: Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects
Location: San Francisco, CA, United States
Lead Architects: Cesar Pelli FAIA, RIBA, JIA. Fred W. Clarke FAIA, RIBA, JIA. Ed Dionne AIA
Area: 130000.0 m2
Project Year: 2017
Photographs: Tim Griffith, Vittoria Zupicich
Manufacturers: Guardian Glass, PPG IdeaScapes, Campolonghi
Acoustic Design: Cerami & Associates
Architect of Record: Kendall Heaton Associates
Civil Engineering: BKF Engineers
Curtain Wall/Façade Design: Morrison Hershfield
Fire and Life Safety Consulting: WSP Group
Geotechnical Engineering: Arup
Graphics/Signage Design: Debra Nichols Design
Landscape Architecture: Peter Walker & Partners
LEED Administration and Environmental Design: Environmental Building Solutions
Lighting Design: Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design
MEP Engineering: WSP Group
Security and Surveillance Consulting: Aon Corporation; Ducibella Venter & Santore
Structural Engineering: Magnusson Klemencic Associates
Traffic, Transportation and Parking Planning: HWA Parking
Vertical Transportation: Persohn-Hahn Associates
Credits
Video Courtesy of The B1M: subscribe now: http://ow.ly/GxW7y
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Project description courtesy of Pelli Clarke Pelli architects