SAN FRANCISCO | Salesforce Transit Center

[BTinSF]

^^^Uh, aren't you forgetting the SFO terminal (of which I can see significant echoes in the TransBay Tower)? I've not previously been a fan of SOM, but most people greatly admire the SFO terminal. And they are a very "corporate" firm, often working for clients with minds of their own. I blame the aesthetic shortcomings of some of their highrises on the clients to a large extent.

Anyway, the TransBay designs should be judged on their own merits or lack of same. The architect's other projects don't really count now although they may have when those invited to participate in the competition were chosen. And when it comes to Leadenhall, I can't personally say I care for it. Actually, I like the TransBay design better. In fact I'd like the TransBay design quite a bit if I hadn't seen the SOM design.

[Scruffy]

wow. fantastic towers. Pelli, normally a fan, but this tower bores me. the park is great but is so out of the way, i cant really see it being so popular. if anything it will be for people to eat their lunch between commutes which i guess would be moderately successful.

SOM- looks great. the height is fantastic but the base is HUGE a bit too wide. But its got the best looking interior for the transit center, the lobby looks great from afar.

Rogers- Got to say this one is my favorite. SOM is practically tied though. The red is very "look at me" but it said san fran to me. the colors of the golden gate and the spires of the sutro. the form is great. the height could be taller but i like this one.

either way, if you get som, or rogers, or even pelli- san francisco wins big time

[Scruffy]

i wonder what the old designs looked like. the calatrava and others that bowed out early

[nequidnimis]

Originally Posted by BTinSF

^^^Uh, aren't you forgetting the SFO terminal (of which I can see significant echoes in the TransBay Tower)? I've not previously been a fan of SOM, but most people greatly admire the SFO terminal. .

I fly overseas several times a year and wasn't forgetting the SFO Terminal, since the question was what high-rises have they built recently. Apart from the ticketing hall and its trusses, which you have to crane your neck to see, the circulation spaces in the SFO Terminal are quite undistinguished. They are low-ceilinged mazes of columns of all sizes, with metal paneling on some walls randomly surviving value-engineering.

I blame the aesthetic shortcomings of some of their highrises on the clients to a large extent.

How convenient! One wonders how anything good gets built.

The architect's other projects don't really count now (..).

They give you an idea of how well the building will be put together. In that respect, designers are like athletes.

[mthd]

Originally Posted by nequidnimis

...
But if you consider that what matters in the end is not the renderings, but what gets built, you need to compare the track records of Rogers and of SOM San Francisco (which is a distinct office from other SOM offices). What high-rises have the latter built recently? 101 Second St., the St. Regis Tower. Handsome buildings for sure, but Rogers' work is edgier and more exciting. There a few glimpses of his LLoyd's building on the Leadenhall thread. The pictures do not convey the excitement of the actual building, which its elevators moving up and down make a constantly changing spectacle.

i would be among the first to admire/respect the brilliance of rogers' work... but i also wouldn't be so quick to judge SOM on a few buildings. consider sfo, the oakland cathedral (which is stunning so far), and a number of very impressive projects recently completed or under construction in china - many of which are equal or greater in scale to transbay - china world trade center in beijing, for example - i believe there is a thread on it in the construction forum.

[nequidnimis]

After seeing it in London and realizing it actually straddles railway tracks I am a huge fan of SOM's Broadgate Tower. However, it was desgined by a different designer in a different SOM office. Perhaps it is also the case with the China World Trade Center.

[Reminiscence]

Originally Posted by zennie62

I too favor the SOM design because it's the most "San Franciscan" of the three. In other words, it fits within the context of the urban design fabric around it.

I'm a little iffy on this statement. I think one of the reason why we should build this is because it not very "San Francisco." I think if it was, we'd probably be looking at another 1300' concrete box .

Nice video by the way, thanks.

[mthd]

Originally Posted by nequidnimis

After seeing it in London and realizing it actually straddles railway tracks I am a huge fan of SOM's Broadgate Tower. However, it was desgined by a different designer in a different SOM office. Perhaps it is also the case with the China World Trade Center.

no - the projects i mentioned are all SOM san francisco and all the same design partners responsible for transbay...

[nequidnimis]

This project?

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=134501

You're making my point.

[hectorant84]

JOHN, WILL YOU AND ALL YOUR NASTY LITTLE HIPPIE - NIMBY FRIENDS SHUT THE FUCK UP. SOM all the way!

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by spyguy

This one must be built...

[PBuchman]

I initially wrote into this thread to express my support for the Pelli design, but seeing the additional renderings/videos from SOM has changed my opinion. I will be greatly disappointed if the SOM design is not chosen.

In fact, I now believe that, in years to come, the SOM tower and terminal will be regarded among the city's greatest architectural monuments, joining the elite ranks of the Bay Bridge, Coit Tower, the painted ladies, and Transamerica as one of the west coast's finest landmarks.

[tyler82]

I like Rogers' tower. I think it looks great. But it doesn't belong in TransBay. Too bad Mission Bay turned into a development disaster, because something like that would look stunning and fit in perfectly in that high tech industrial area. The financial district is not appropriate for a building like that.

Since John King posted his article, all I am seeing are mostly negative comments in the comments section, compared to when the designs first came out, most of the people were Oooohing and Aaaahing. I'm afraid that if the Rogers' proposal is built, an army of NIMBYs will march to city hall and demand that they shorter it by a few hundred feet, because people here are all trust fund babies with nothing better to do than to complain about trite things. You are what you bitch about, I guess.

[Alliance]

WOW. Awesome proposal SF. This building is second only to the Spire in terms of vision. Its nice to see another city taking a strong lead in design.

This building is excellent.

I'd like to know the actual height to roof though. It could be the new 4th or 5th in the US.

[Jai]

If the other two 800+ ft towers are going to be designed with as much detail and quality as SOM's design, I have to say, after Chicago at 1 and NY at 2, SFO may well have America's third most beautiful skyline

[djvandrake]

Originally Posted by Alliance

I'd like to know the actual height to roof though. It could be the new 4th or 5th in the US.

I believe the roof line is at 1,200' and the top of the architectual elements (and wind turbines) is 1,375'.

I have to agree that the more I see this building, the more I absolutely love it. It is by far superior to the other designs and is a work of art that must rise.

[tyler82]

SOM's proposal so far has the highest LEED certification (Platinum), correct?

[Reminiscence]

Originally Posted by tyler82

SOM's proposal so far has the highest LEED certification (Platinum), correct?

From what I've read, SOM's proposal for the transit center will be LEED Platinum with the tower itself being LEED Gold, and possibly LEED Platinum as well. I would think the other proposals are either both LEED Platinum or at least capable of achieving it.

[BTinSF]

^^^From what I heard at the presentations, all the teams think both their towers and terminals can achieve LEED platinum if the city wants it. It might require such things as keeping the wind turbines John King hates, though.

[tyler82]

Are there any other skyscrapers with turbines up top elsewhere? The thought of a sustainable tower is so exciting to me!