A mixed-use development rooted in neighborhood context

Positioned a block from the iconic Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco’s Financial District, 530 Sansome is a mixed-use tower featuring a 200-key hotel, a restaurant, meeting rooms, and premium office space. The project also provided the opportunity to replace and upgrade an existing fire station with a new, state-of-the-art facility for the City and County of San Francisco.

SOM’s design for the tower harmonizes with its environs in Jackson Square, a historic neighborhood characterized by tree-lined streets and masonry buildings, which currently house restaurants and boutiques. Its office lobby, scaled to match neighboring buildings, features an elegant, vertically proportioned entrance with warm, hospitality-grade finishes. The hotel lobby opens onto the revitalized Merchant Street—a pedestrian-focused shared space featuring enhanced paving, street furniture, rolled curbs, and flowering trees that align with the entrance lane to Transamerica Redwood Park.

The most desirable space in the building is reserved for offices—an intentional departure from the conventional model for mixed-use development. 530 Sansome strengthens the recovery of San Francisco’s commercial office market with a rare offering of super-premium office spaces in the downtown core. By placing workspaces above the hotel at higher elevations, designers created an environment where floor-to-ceiling glass maximizes natural light and offers unobstructed views of the city. Positioning the hotel and its amenity spaces near street level contributes to the neighborhood’s vibrant street life.

Facade design that marries form and function

Subtle green terracotta lends a masonry quality to the tower’s facade, which rises in a series of setbacks at varying elevations. Drawing inspiration from the classic silhouette of traditional skyscrapers, the tower gracefully tapers toward the top, creating a strong presence on the city skyline while thoughtfully responding to considerations of shadow, wind, and programmatic needs. The setbacks create outdoor terraces for visitors and office occupants to enjoy.

Providing public infrastructure through private investment

530 Sansome is the result of a public-private partnership between the City and County of San Francisco and Related California. The new fire station’s design prioritizes safety, security, and seismic resilience, exemplifying SOM’s expertise in collaborating with local authorities to deliver critical infrastructure at no cost to the city. Connected to the high-rise building yet configured with a separate entrance, the station is designed to ensure operational independence for the city and the fire department.

The new facility’s brick facade harmonizes with surrounding historic masonry buildings and serves the building’s function. It features vertically proportioned windows for firefighter living quarters above and four spacious vehicle bays at street level. Designed to accommodate three fire engines and support vehicles, the station includes underground parking, generous officer suites, a barbecue terrace, and rooftop training areas. It also incorporates public art from the original facility.