Chicago architecture firm Studio Gang has completed the Verde Tower, clad in green glass tiles and with balconies that give the building a “rhythmic touch of light,” for the Mission Rock development in San Francisco.
The 23-story Verde Tower is the final completed tower in the first phase of the Mission Rock development, a 28-acre site along the San Francisco waterfront that includes skyscrapers designed by MVRDV and Henning Larsen.
Verdi consists of a stepped rectangular base with a tower at the top that is pushed to the side and consists of a series of stacked volumes.
It contains 254 apartments and facilities throughout the building, in addition to ground-level retail spaces and a rooftop terrace.
Terraces of varying sizes were cut into each level of the base and inserted into the corners of the tower to “maximize sunlight” and protect residents from the wind, according to the studio.
“The tower’s floor plates are carved at the corners to create unique outdoor terraces on each floor,” said Jeanne Gang, co-founder of Studio Gang.
“These terraces are oriented to maximize sunlight and wind protection while providing residents with views of the surrounding city and San Francisco Bay,” she added.
“From the street, the building’s alternating sculptural terraces give it a rhythmic touch of light.”
The building gets its name from its emerald green cladding, which the studio designed to create “variations of colour and depth at multiple scales”.
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The building’s balconies are designed to fit in with San Francisco’s “indoor-outdoor” lifestyle, according to the studio. The building also connects to a waterfront path, public transit stations and has 250 bike parking spaces.
“to green“We wanted to create spaces where residents could connect with each other while feeling included in the natural beauty of San Francisco,” said Jang.
Verdi’s base is located five feet above sea level to protect against rising sea levels and flooding.
It also uses greywater to meet non-potable needs, and is targeting LEED Gold certification.
The building will serve as the “central social hub” for the larger Mission Rock development, which includes a recently completed residential tower by MVRDV, a Visa Marketplace Support Center by Henning Larsen and a commercial building by WORKac, which is located at the same intersection as Verde.
Located on a former parking lot along the waterfront, the project is being developed through a partnership between the San Francisco Giants, real estate firm Tishman Speyer and the Port of San Francisco.
The project designs were revealed in 2019 and include 12 plots in total, with future phases still under development according to SF YIMBY.
Studio Gang recently completed the twisting Mira Tower in San Francisco and a Brooklyn skyscraper with an undulating facade.
Photography by Jason O’Rear
