[kenratboy]

...it is west of downtown, maybe 5 stories, and the exterior looks like it is a mesh of dark-silver rebar, and there are a few huge white-framed windows on it (not a lot).

What building is it? Looks insane.

I was driving and traffic was fast and heavy, so I only got a glance or two.

Thanks!

[Phillip]

Are you talking about the new Federal building at 7th and Mission? It's taller than five stories, but it's just off the freeway, has the white-framed windows, and it's a crazy looking buildling.

There are some pics of it in this thread:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=119568

Is that the building you're talking about?

[kenratboy]

Yup, that was it.

Thanks!

[fflint]

That's 234' tall, hardly a low-rise!

Here's a rendering:
http://www.msechman.com/mrphs/mrphs_800_02.JPG

[kenratboy]

That looks amazing! I will definitely need to check it out next time I am in the city.

It seems most people here get their panties in a bunch when you call anything under about, say 1500' a 'hi-rise' :p

[EastBayHardCore]

you may want to get your vision checked if you thought that was 1) a low rise and 2) 5 stories. :haha:

[Phillip]

The rendering fflint posted is the first time I've liked the Federal building. Walking past the construction site on Mission it's always looked hideous to me. Hopefully when the Federal building is finished it will grow into something more like that rendering.

I can sort of understand how someone driving past on the freeway might experience the building as five stories. The freeway is elevated so the bottom floors are invisible. And the four giant white-framed windows loudly signify "four floors", even though the building is obviously taller than that, when you're able to pay attention.

[BTinSF]

^^^ I think it's 18 stories plus the roof garden. The architect is Morphosis. If the building interests you, you might check out their web site.

[JRinSoCal]

Very cool building. Looks so much like LA's Caltrans HQs. Gotta love Morphosis.

[sf_eddo]

There's a cool view of it down Grove Street from Hayes Valley, especially when it's lit at night.

[innov8]

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/mz1613/sffed112-10-2006f.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/mz1613/sffed212-10-2006f.jpg

I wish I got to see it lit up while I was in town. How tall
is the bldg. next to it going to be? I must say, that Fed. Bldg.
is wild looking.

[kenratboy]

Man, that is one of the craziest things I have seen!

[BTinSF]

How tall
is the bldg. next to it going to be? I must say, that Fed. Bldg.
is wild looking.

24 stories (or maybe it's 22--I've seen conflicting stories but SSP seems to be going with 24: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=24868 ) and 235'.

http://www.multi-housingnews.com/photos/2005/11/soma.jpg

http://www.socketsite.com/archives/Soma%20Grand.jpg

Here's the latest view posted by CardinalStudent:

http://aycu32.webshots.com/image/6991/2003332774569538444_rs.jpg

[BTinSF]

Man, that is one of the craziest things I have seen!

And green-certified too! ;) :cheers:

[BTinSF]

^ By the way, if they ever actually build the Architectonica-designed Trinity Plaza on the rest of that block (basically filling the block on the other side of SoMa Grand from the Federal Building), it'll be quite a block.

Here's the Market St. side of Trinity Plaza (but I'm sure the Mission St facade will be just as "interesting"):

http://www.beyondchron.org/news/news_images/2006/marketnight.jpg

[edluva]

that looks a bit like MIT's simmons hall

http://www.cooper.edu/architecture/faculty/images/raiji_c01.jpg