Foster To Retrofit San Francisco’s Transamerica Tower

Designer Foster + Partners is set to take in San Francisco a record overhaul project for the historic, 50-year-old Transamerica Tower, Architects’ Journal reported in March. The US$250-million plan, led by building owner and developer SHVO, will revitalize the famous 260-m-tall, pyramid-shaped tower designed by William Pereira and completed in 1972. In addition to overhauling the interiors of the 48-story downtown block, the project will also revamp the areas around its base. The thinly shaped pyramid building, at 853 ft, once was the tallest building in San Francisco. The plan calls for expanding Redwood Park and almost doubling the size of the neighboring office buildings. Foster + Partners was chosen to work on the update following a competition that included Bjarke Ingels Group and David Chipperfield Architects. The initial revamp of the tower itself is expected to take a year to complete, with further approvals needed for the expansion of the nearby office blocks.