source: me
please don't get me wrong.
hopefully, it gets built. why? because our current skyline has been greatly influenced by the thinking of those in the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's,,, then compounded by Proposition M.
IMHO, the result has been a 400' to 500' foot block of buildings which needs to be broken-up with taller, more innovative and imaginative 21st century architecture and engineering.
I do not think i need to preach to the choir. there are some magnificent, contemporary high-rises currently built, under construction or planned around the world. one needs only to browse this website. yet, i believe san francisco always gets shortchanged.
personally, i hope the city planning department forces the developer to clean-up the western facade of the building above 500'. arguably, this is the side, zone and/or angle most of of us in san francisco will view day in and day out.
lets face it.
these developers are not in the business to build monuments.
their objective is to make 50 First a profitable venture-- with this particular development being a veritable tight rope act. they entice with a large public plaza at the base and a fantastic norman foster eastern facade in the hope to compromise and get a pass on the western facade housing the utilities. indeed, this is done to maximize the number of rent-able, unobstructed square feet of office.
i now realize why starchitect phillip johnson's rather rotund 101 California has about the same number of square feet, but on 48 floors. (ie., the elevators and utilities are conventionally housed in the core)
i think that we are at a good point in time where public and bureaucratic input, comment and control is important-- to balance the needs of the developer with that of the public.
source: me