Construction of the Genesis North Tower was completed in March of 2019. Located in South San Francisco, the 21-story life sciences laboratory building is now the tallest of its kind on the West Coast. The tower completes SOM’s master plan for the 17-acre parcel known as Genesis Campus. The campus includes two towers, Genesis South and North Towers, a small retail building, and structured parking for 1,500 spaces.
The site is prominently located where Highway 101 curves past San Bruno Mountain along the San Francisco Bay. The tower’s soft contours and continuous, veil-like glass curtain wall echo the topography and provide ample views to the surrounding landscape. The 375,000-square-foot Genesis North Tower is equipped with laboratory, office, and collaborative space, and is designed to support the unique needs of Bay Area biotech companies.
SOM’s involvement with the Genesis Campus began with its master plan in 2004. Scenically located and home to several endangered species, over two thirds of the 57-acre site is dedicated to conservation efforts. The South Tower, which includes 240,000 square feet of life science office space, was the first building designed as part of the master plan and completed in 2006. The recession of the early 2000s resulted in construction of the North Tower being put on hold.
In 2014, with full support from the City of South San Francisco, SOM returned to the project, utilizing building materials that were kept in storage for the past decade and providing the new developer, Phase 3 Real Estate, substantial savings.