Calling the Transamerica Pyramid 'iconic' would not be an exaggeration. The distinctively shaped high rise (the clue is in the name) in the heart of San Francisco's Financial District has long been one of the city's more recognisable landmarks and its second tallest. Now, Lord Norman Foster and his firm, Foster + Partners, have remastered this West Coast classic for the 21st century, breathing new life into the structure.
The Transamerica Pyramid, revamped
The Transamerica Pyramid was built in 1972 to a design by Californian architecture practice William L Pereira & Associates – a studio renowned for its take on modernist architecture. The impressive quartz-studded concrete tower on 600 Montgomery Street has over 3,000 windows and stands at 853ft (260m) tall. It remains to this day one of the tallest pyramidal structures in the world.
Now, Foster + Partners worked with developers SHVO and Deutsche Finance, who injected some $1bn dollar worth of investment to redesign the building for the needs of today's workforce. 'We are delighted to see Transamerica Pyramid Center entering a new era,' says Foster. 'Our transformation honours the building's history while creating interior spaces that are world-class and outdoor public gardens that reconnect with the city.'
The revamp comprises a reworking of the interior with a luxury hospitality approach in mind, featuring expanded public areas and a wealth of new amenities for users and guests. A new series of public exhibitions within will establish a strong relationship with the creative world too – and the first installations are curated by Foster himself. These include ‘The Vertical City’, a selection of high-rise architecture by Foster + Partners; and ‘Les Lalanne at Transamerica Redwood Park’, an outdoor exhibition on the work of iconic French artists Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne.
Meanwhile, San Francisco mayor London Breed adds: 'The Transamerica Pyramid is more than just a building, it’s a symbol of San Francisco's spirit. This renovation ensures that it will continue to be a landmark for generations to come, while also creating a thriving hub for businesses and fostering a vibrant public space.'
-
Inside the fantastical world of performance artist, Darrell ThornePerformance artist Darrell Thorne straddles multiple worlds, telling stories through transformation, reinvention and theatrical excess
-
Mostly armless: life with the Roborock Saros S70 and taking a (shallow) step into the futureThe arm-equipped Roborock Saros Z70 robot vacuum dusts, mops and even cleans up your messy household. So why did it feel like adding a demanding new family member?
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekSummer holidays are here, with Wallpaper* editors jetting off to some exceptional destinations, including highly recommended Mérida in Mexico. Then it’s back to work, or, for one editor, back to school…
-
Florencia Rodriguez on the importance of curiosity, criticism and cultural freedomFlorencia Rodriguez, architect, writer and artistic director of this year’s Chicago Architecture Biennial, comments on the state of the States
-
A 432 Park Avenue apartment is an art-filled family home among the cloudsAt 432 Park Avenue, inside and outside compete for starring roles; welcome to a skyscraping, art-filled apartment in Midtown Manhattan
-
Discover this sleek-but-warm sanctuary in the heart of the Wyoming wildsThis glorious wood-and-stone residence never misses a chance to show off the stirring landscape it calls home
-
Inside a Montana house, putting the American West's landscape at its heartA holiday house in the Montana mountains, designed by Walker Warner Architects and Gachot Studios, scales new heights to create a fresh perspective on communing with the natural landscape
-
Peel back this Michigan lakeside house’s cool slate exterior to reveal a warm wooden homeIn Detroit, Michigan, this lakeside house, a Y-shaped home by Disbrow Iannuzzi Architects, creates a soft balance between darkness and light through its minimalist materiality
-
Inside the new theatre at Jacob’s Pillow and its ‘magic box’, part of a pioneering complex designed for danceJacob’s Pillow welcomes the reborn Doris Duke Theatre by Mecanoo, a new space that has just opened in the beloved Berkshires cultural hub for the summer season
-
A Rancho Mirage home is in tune with its location and its architect-owners’ passionsArchitect Steven Harris and his collaborator and husband, designer Lucien Rees Roberts, have built a home in Rancho Mirage, surrounded by some of America’s most iconic midcentury modern works; they invited us on a tour
-
Inside a midcentury modern house so good, its architect didn’t want to mess with it‘I was immediately a little bit frightened, because it was such a great house,’ says architect Casper Mork-Ulnes of Roger Lee-designed gem in Berkeley, California
