Introduction: A New Chapter in San Francisco’s Vertical Evolution

San Francisco, a city defined by iconic silhouettes such as the Transamerica Pyramid and the Salesforce Tower, is now poised for another architectural revolution. At 77 Beale Street, a proposed supertall skyscraper aims to reach an impressive 1,225 feet (373 meters), making it not only the tallest structure in the city but also the tallest on the entire West Coast. Surpassing the Salesforce Tower by over 150 feet, this development signals the next evolution of high-rise living and working environments in North America’s seismic epicenter.

Backed by developer Hines and informed by a philosophy of integrated urbanism, the project offers a paradigm shift in how we consider height, mixed-use functionality, and historic preservation in city design. With an ambitious program, advanced engineering considerations, and significant implications for residential architecture, this proposed supertall structure stands as a case study in 21st-century urban development.

Project Overview and Technical Specifications

The 77 Beale Street skyscraper is planned to include a comprehensive mixed-use program that remains sensitive to both urban scale and architectural heritage. With an estimated 1.6 million square feet of Class A office space, approximately 120 residential units, ground-level retail and dining options, and designated public spaces including a new park, the proposal reflects a contemporary “vertical city” model.

• Height: 1,225 feet (373 meters) — 11th-tallest in the U.S., tallest outside NYC and Chicago
• Residential Units: Approx. 120
• Commercial Area: 1.6 million sq ft of office space
• Site Area: Former PG&E headquarters
• Historic Assets: Restoration of 215 and 245 Market Street; new housing at 25 Beale Street
• Public Realm: Street-level retail, restaurants, and a new public park
• Projected Timeline: Start construction by 2027, complete early 2030s

This ambitious development goes beyond simply becoming the tallest—it integrates residential, commercial, and public interests within a tight urban fabric.

Mixed-Use Urbanism: A “Vertical City” Vision

Seizing upon the global trend of increasing urban density, this project is emblematic of a “vertical city” philosophy. Rather than isolating functions—such as housing, office work, and retail—into separate districts or buildings, the plan integrates them vertically, maximizing land efficiency while fostering an active street-level interface.

Similar to The Shard in London or Australia 108 in Melbourne, which combine high-end residential programs with premium commercial and public amenities, the 77 Beale tower aims to multiply functionality within a singular footprint. This trend is especially valuable in land-constrained or highly regulated environments like San Francisco, where height becomes a tool for resolving competing land-use needs.

Residential Architecture in a Supertall Context

Though the tower is predominantly commercial, the inclusion of around 120 residential units reflects increased demand for vertical neighborhoods—high-rise homes designed with the privacy, comfort, and flexibility of traditional housing in mind.

Architects and developers incorporating residential programs into supertall buildings must address a multitude of design considerations:

• Vertical Zoning: Segregated elevator cores and floor plates maintain resident privacy.
• Shared Amenities: Likely inclusion of rooftop terraces, gyms, lounges, and community rooms.
• Fire/Life Safety: Advanced sprinkler systems, smoke control zones, and pressurized egress stairs tailored for residential use.
• Outdoor Access: In this proposal, direct adjacency to a ground-level park offers a rare amenity in supertall developments.

These strategies mirror successful precedents like Central Park Tower in New York and Australia 108, proving that luxury, livability, and verticality can coexist.

Historic Preservation and Adaptive Reuse

Distinct from many global supertalls, the 77 Beale project demonstrates careful consideration of historic context. The adaptive reuse of 215 and 245 Market Street, both National Register–listed structures, ensures continuity with San Francisco’s architectural lineage. Additionally, 25 Beale Street—a former energy utility facility—will be repurposed into housing.

Such efforts align with broader trends in urban historic preservation seen in cities like Paris and London, where integrating old and new fosters richer, multi-layered streetscapes. Consider London’s Southbank Tower, where a mid-century base was re-skinned and vertically extended while honoring the original structure’s geometry and materials.

By sensitively embedding modern forms into a historic setting, architects can create dialogue between eras, enriching rather than erasing urban identity.

Structural Engineering Challenges and Solutions

Constructing a supertall tower in San Francisco poses significant engineering hurdles. The city resides in a high seismic risk zone, requiring bespoke strategies to ensure structural performance under both wind and earthquake loads.

Though finalized engineering plans have not been released, the following advanced systems are expected to be utilized based on industry best practices:

• Composite Structural Systems: A combination of steel and concrete with mega-columns and outrigger trusses to manage lateral forces.
• Deep Foundations: Piled or caisson foundations responding to both soil conditions and seismic activity.
• Damping Systems: Tuned mass dampers to minimize wind-induced sway and increase occupant comfort.
• High-Performance Façade: Energy-efficient glazing with solar shading and thermal resistance optimized for microclimate conditions.

These systems have been proven effective in aspirational towers like Salesforce Tower in San Francisco and One Vanderbilt in New York. For architects, structural coordination at early stages is critical to integrate form, performance, and safety in supertalls.

Public Realm Activation and Sustainability

The tower’s ground level will feature publicly accessible park space, retail, and dining, aiming to reinvigorate the downtown pedestrian experience. In contrast to single-use office towers of the past, this design prioritizes “urban porosity,” allowing the public to pass through, interact with, and benefit from the building’s footprint.

With hybrid work patterns reshaping city centers, such public-private overlap is crucial. When paired with sustainability strategies—likely including LEED Gold or Platinum-level ambitions, stormwater management, and smart building controls—projects like this embody resilient urbanism.

Comparative Skyscraper Precedents

The 77 Beale Street proposal joins a lineage of urban megastructures that serve not only as icons but also as engines of urban transformation.

• Salesforce Tower (San Francisco, 2018): Reinvented the city’s skyline while establishing a precedent for integrating transit, office, and public seating near Salesforce Park.
• Wilshire Grand Center (Los Angeles, 2017): combined hotel, office, and retail but did not embed historic preservation to the extent seen at 77 Beale Street.
• The Shard (London, 2012): Offers a well-integrated program of offices, residences, restaurants, and public observation decks in a highly context-sensitive setting.
• Australia 108 (Melbourne, 2020): Features luxurious residential units with shared Sky Garden amenities, demonstrating regional innovations in high-rise living.

Each precedent informs the design ethos of 77 Beale—combining functionality, elegance, and civic engagement through intelligent vertical planning.

Historical Context and Future Outlook

From the angular modernism of the Transamerica Pyramid to the curved glass façade of Salesforce Tower, San Francisco’s skyline has evolved in step with the city’s shifting identity. The proposed tower at 77 Beale represents a move beyond icons toward integrated functionality and responsiveness to urban living demands.

This is not merely about building tall—it is about building wisely, sustainably, and inclusively. With careful attention to historic preservation, seismic design, and mixed-use integration, this proposal charts a path architects can emulate in other major cities across seismic or heritage-sensitive contexts.

Practical Takeaways for Architects, Builders, and Homeowners

As residential and mixed-use towers grow taller and denser, professionals in the built environment must adapt their strategies accordingly. Here are key lessons and insights drawn from the proposed 77 Beale Street tower:

• Prioritize Mixed-Use Verticality: Combine residential, commercial, and amenity programming to maximize site potential.
• Integrate Historic Context: Seek opportunities for adaptive reuse of adjacent heritage assets to enrich community connections and align with preservation goals.
• Design for Dual Loads: Anticipate seismic and lateral wind forces through early structural collaboration and innovative systems.
• Enhance Residential Quality in Supertalls: Use dedicated cores, acoustic separation, and communal outdoor access to humanize high-rise living.
• Embrace the Public Realm: Strengthen pedestrian interaction and civic usefulness at ground level, even in tall towers.
• Plan for Sustainability: Implement high-performance façade and systems from the outset—net-zero ambitions are becoming the professional standard.

Whether you are an architect planning a tower, a builder tackling a complex mixed-use site, or a homeowner considering the dynamics of high-rise living, the lessons from this project are widely applicable.