Salesforce Tower

The Tallest Building West of the Mississippi
Location: 
San Francisco, California
Client: 
Boston Properties & Hines
Architect: 
Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects
Additional collaborations with Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects:
Kendall/Heaton Associates, Inc.
Additional collaborations with Kendall/Heaton Associates, Inc.:
Size: 
1,600,000 Square Feet
Year Completed: 
2016
Certification: 
LEED Platinum (targeted)
Sector: 

This 61-story Class-A office tower is the tallest building in the western United States at 1,070 feet, rising above the adjacent transit center in downtown San Francisco. Salesforce Tower surpasses New York City’s Chrysler Building to claim the spot as the seventh tallest building in the country.

Salesforce Tower is built on rock by way of cast-in-place foundations extending down approximately 265 feet. The initial phase of below-grade work included excavation, shoring, and foundations necessary to support a three-level below-grade parking structure. At the ground level, Mission Square plaza connects to the Transit Center's rooftop park and provide a well-designed public open space for workers and the public alike.

A uniform steel and glass curtain wall system wraps the tower’s structural steel framing, which surrounds a concrete core. A dramatic crown of glass, metal mullions, and partially open metal screen sits atop the tower.

The Salesforce Tower project is designed to achieve LEED Platinum certification. Sustainable features include:

  • Full outside air economizer ventilation systems and stringent building materials analysis and specifications to significantly improve indoor air quality,
  • Floor-by-floor air intake via high efficiency air-handlers allows for significant natural ventilation,
  • Under-floor air distribution (UFAD) which greatly reduces HVAC and fan horsepower energy usage, as well as improves occupant comfort and zone controllability,
  • A 5.4-acre public park adjacent to the building, which includes a walking trail, vegetation gardens, lily ponds, and outdoor amphitheater,
  • Integrated metal sunshades to maximize light and views while reducing solar heat gain,
  • High performance, low-​emissivity glass to reduce cooling load as well as enhance energy and light transmission performance,
  • Floor-to-ceiling windows to afford natural daylight and spectacular views
  • Comprehensive water recycling systems in the tower and transit center help to reduce water consumption 30% below code inside the building, and greater than 50% in outdoor landscaping.
Awards: 
ENR Global Best Project - Office Building