Jokesters propose fountain on top of Salesforce Tower

The 1,070-foot-tall Salesforce Tower will soon open for business as San Francisco’s tallest building. It seems that a few local wisenheimers have an opinion about its silhouette.

Most notably, San Francisco rapscallion Micah Byrness launched a Change.org petition last week proposing the city finish off the rising landmark with a special decorative fountain on the roof.

Why a fountain? Well, it’s subtle but it appears that Byrnes wants to make an insinuation about the building’s design:

The San Francisco skyline has been forever changed by the large erect Salesforce Tower thrusting up into the heavens. [...] I propose an artistic fountain at the tip of the tower (above the shaft). To conserve water we will build two large spherical water tanks at the base that will collect and recycle the water as it flows down the shaft of the building.

And yes, there’s even an animation illustrating his concept.

As of Tuesday morning, Byrnes has roughly 250 signatures. What do people see in his design? Be careful who you ask:

“I’d love to see the tower get the happy ending it deserves.” -Shane Duryea

“All of architecture has been leading to this beautiful climax.” -Daniel Smith

“If I have to look at it every day then it should [do] something.” -Julian Baca

For the record, Salesforce Tower architect Cesar Pelli says that the shape of the building is meant to evoke “the simple, timeless form of the obelisk,” likening the tower to ancient monoliths.

But some San Franciscans can’t help but see something a bit more organic in its design. SF Weekly called it “overtly phallic,” among other colorful terms.

Some folks, it seems, just can’t contain themselves on the topic. But at least they’re getting it out of their systems.

• Install a Fountain On Salesforce Tower [Change.org]
• Fountain Petition Comments
• Salesforce Tower [PCP]
• San Francisco’s tallest building, the Salesforce Tower, puts final beam in place [Curbed SF]