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The exterior of the top of a skyscraper in San Francisco. The facade has a geometric pattern. Tupungato/Shutterstock

San Francisco’s tallest towers, mapped

It’s only up from here

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The city’s skyline has always been swoon-worthy, but over the last decade, the view has become even more grand—not to mention crowded—as skyscrapers have sprouted taller, taller, and taller. From the Salesforce Tower to 555 California, San Francisco’s high-rises have set examples of height and grandeur.

This time around, the only criteria for towers to make the list is height, which is to say, we will consider spires. San Francisco’s tallest towers, as mapped, are a combination of residential and commercial spaces. Furthermore, the tower must be completed, in case you’re wondering why Oceanwide Center isn’t on the list.

In order of height starting with the tallest, here are the SF structures that stand proud and tall.

Not impressed by size? Check out San Francisco’s most iconic buildings. Still not dazzled? Then discover the most underrated buildings in San Francisco, as selected by our readers. For a peek inside some of these beauties, pore over the city’s most beautiful interiors.

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Salesforce Tower

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Formerly known as the Transbay Tower, the Salesforce Tower will be San Francisco’s largest tower and the second tallest building in the West at 1,070 feet and 1.4 million square feet. Designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, the tower will be 61 stories. The base of the building will connect to the Transbay Transit Center.

A combination of office and retail space with glass facades, the slender tower will be topped with an LED light installation. The building is slated to be completed in late 2017 or early 2018, according to Salesforce.

Transamerica Pyramid

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Once the tallest building in San Francisco, until the construction of the Salesforce Tower, the futurist Transamerica Pyramid comes in 200 feet shorter at 853 feet. The four-sided pyramid, marked by two “wings,” is now the second tallest building in San Francisco with 48 floors of retail and office space.

Designed by William Pereira & Associates, the tower was completed in 1972 as the eighth tallest building in the world.

While no longer the headquarters of the Transamerica Corporation, the building is still linked to the company and the company’s logo.

A post shared by Nhi Huỳnh (@nhiihuynh_) on

181 Fremont

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Not to be outdone by the Transamerica Pyramid, 181 Fremont is one of San Francisco’s most luxurious mixed-use tower in San Francisco. Designed by Heller Manus Architects, the roughly 800-foot-tall residential condominium and office building has a steel frame designed to withstand seismic activity.

With 56 floors, the tower is part residential and part business (Instagram occupies the bottom part). The tower is the first REDi-certified high rise tower on the west coast. Along with Salesforce Tower, it’s one of two buildings with bridges connecting it to Salesforce Park.

555 California

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It may not be the tallest tower in California or in San Francisco, but it is one of the largest buildings by floor area. Previously known as the Bank of America Center, the commercial building boasts 52 floors.

Built in 1969, the building was designed by Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill; architect Pietro Belluschi; and Wurster, Bernardi, and Emmons.

Fun fact: the Trump Organization, President Donald Trump’s conglomerate company, owns 30 percent of the building. The sidewalk outside the tower has played host to numerous protests since Trump took office.

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345 California Center

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Standing 725 feet tall, 345 California Center is San Francisco’s fourth tallest tower. Completed in 1986, the tower is sheathed in granite and has a steel frame.

Designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill who had a hand in 555 California Street, the mixed-use building has two towers, each topped by a spire that are connected by a glass sky bridge that overlooks the bay.

With the exception of the top floors that make up the Loews Regency San Francisco hotel, the rest of the building houses commercial offices.

Oddly enough, the address to the building and the hotel are different. If you’re looking to explore the Loews Regency San Francisco, the address you’re looking for is 222 Sansome Street.

Millennium Tower

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Primarily condominiums, the Millennium Tower is the tallest residential building in San Francisco. Perhaps the most luxurious residential building in California, the 645 foot tall building is 58 stories of cozy condos.

Luxury comes at a price, however. The  Millennium Tower has been the center of controversy after it was confirmed that the building was tilting and sinking. Still, you have to admire the blue and gray glass exterior and it’s slender concrete form.

The tower was completed in 2009 and designed by Handel Architects.

A post shared by Gerard (@415legend) on

One Rincon Hill - Tower Two/The Harrison

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One Rincon Hill is a residential complex that consists of two towers, Tower Two, home of The Harrison residences, stands taller at 641 feet while Tower One stands at 541 feet.

Tower Two, completed in 2008, is 60 stories topped with 25 LED floodlights that change according to the weather. One Rincon Hill was designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB) architects.

Park Tower

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This 43-story, 605-foot office high-rise—designed by Goettsch Partners and Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB)—is most noteworthy for a) its outdoor terraces on both the northwest and southeast corners of the building, and b) scoring one of the largest leases in San Francisco history. The tenant? Facebook. The social media company occupies the entire building.

50 Fremont Center

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Now called Salesforce West after the company purchased the building in 2015, the commercial building is 43 stories and 600 feet tall.

Originally completed in 1985, the building was recently renovated by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill to modernize the lobby and retail spaces. The building is also LEED-certified.

101 California

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Standing 600 feet tall, the commercial office building is 48 stories of glass and granite. Completed in 1982, the cylindrical structure was designed by Philip Johnson. On the ground level is a granite plaza with terrace seating that is decorated for the holiday season with oversized Christmas ornaments.

The exterior of 101 California in San Francisco. The facade is glass with multiple support structures at the base. Photos by Brock Keeling

The Avery

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A glass tower designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Rem Koolhaas’ OMA opened in 2019. reaching 56 stories high, this residential skyscraper comes with six luxury penthouses on the top floors and an auxiliary building with affordable homes. 

Market Center

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Market Center is comprised of two towers at 555 and 575 Market Street. The tower at 555 Market Street is the shorter tower at 311 feet tall and the taller tower standing at 573 feet.

Completed in 1975 by Hertzka and Knowles, 575 Market Street is a 40-story commercial building with a granite base coated in terra cotta.

A post shared by BOMA San Francisco (@bomasf) on

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Salesforce Tower

Formerly known as the Transbay Tower, the Salesforce Tower will be San Francisco’s largest tower and the second tallest building in the West at 1,070 feet and 1.4 million square feet. Designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, the tower will be 61 stories. The base of the building will connect to the Transbay Transit Center.

A combination of office and retail space with glass facades, the slender tower will be topped with an LED light installation. The building is slated to be completed in late 2017 or early 2018, according to Salesforce.

Transamerica Pyramid

Once the tallest building in San Francisco, until the construction of the Salesforce Tower, the futurist Transamerica Pyramid comes in 200 feet shorter at 853 feet. The four-sided pyramid, marked by two “wings,” is now the second tallest building in San Francisco with 48 floors of retail and office space.

Designed by William Pereira & Associates, the tower was completed in 1972 as the eighth tallest building in the world.

While no longer the headquarters of the Transamerica Corporation, the building is still linked to the company and the company’s logo.

A post shared by Nhi Huỳnh (@nhiihuynh_) on

181 Fremont

Not to be outdone by the Transamerica Pyramid, 181 Fremont is one of San Francisco’s most luxurious mixed-use tower in San Francisco. Designed by Heller Manus Architects, the roughly 800-foot-tall residential condominium and office building has a steel frame designed to withstand seismic activity.

With 56 floors, the tower is part residential and part business (Instagram occupies the bottom part). The tower is the first REDi-certified high rise tower on the west coast. Along with Salesforce Tower, it’s one of two buildings with bridges connecting it to Salesforce Park.

555 California

It may not be the tallest tower in California or in San Francisco, but it is one of the largest buildings by floor area. Previously known as the Bank of America Center, the commercial building boasts 52 floors.

Built in 1969, the building was designed by Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill; architect Pietro Belluschi; and Wurster, Bernardi, and Emmons.

Fun fact: the Trump Organization, President Donald Trump’s conglomerate company, owns 30 percent of the building. The sidewalk outside the tower has played host to numerous protests since Trump took office.

A post shared by Rickard Nordstrand (@norric) on

345 California Center

Standing 725 feet tall, 345 California Center is San Francisco’s fourth tallest tower. Completed in 1986, the tower is sheathed in granite and has a steel frame.

Designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill who had a hand in 555 California Street, the mixed-use building has two towers, each topped by a spire that are connected by a glass sky bridge that overlooks the bay.

With the exception of the top floors that make up the Loews Regency San Francisco hotel, the rest of the building houses commercial offices.

Oddly enough, the address to the building and the hotel are different. If you’re looking to explore the Loews Regency San Francisco, the address you’re looking for is 222 Sansome Street.

Millennium Tower

Primarily condominiums, the Millennium Tower is the tallest residential building in San Francisco. Perhaps the most luxurious residential building in California, the 645 foot tall building is 58 stories of cozy condos.

Luxury comes at a price, however. The  Millennium Tower has been the center of controversy after it was confirmed that the building was tilting and sinking. Still, you have to admire the blue and gray glass exterior and it’s slender concrete form.

The tower was completed in 2009 and designed by Handel Architects.

A post shared by Gerard (@415legend) on

One Rincon Hill - Tower Two/The Harrison

One Rincon Hill is a residential complex that consists of two towers, Tower Two, home of The Harrison residences, stands taller at 641 feet while Tower One stands at 541 feet.

Tower Two, completed in 2008, is 60 stories topped with 25 LED floodlights that change according to the weather. One Rincon Hill was designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB) architects.

Park Tower

This 43-story, 605-foot office high-rise—designed by Goettsch Partners and Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB)—is most noteworthy for a) its outdoor terraces on both the northwest and southeast corners of the building, and b) scoring one of the largest leases in San Francisco history. The tenant? Facebook. The social media company occupies the entire building.

50 Fremont Center

Now called Salesforce West after the company purchased the building in 2015, the commercial building is 43 stories and 600 feet tall.

Originally completed in 1985, the building was recently renovated by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill to modernize the lobby and retail spaces. The building is also LEED-certified.

101 California

Standing 600 feet tall, the commercial office building is 48 stories of glass and granite. Completed in 1982, the cylindrical structure was designed by Philip Johnson. On the ground level is a granite plaza with terrace seating that is decorated for the holiday season with oversized Christmas ornaments.

The exterior of 101 California in San Francisco. The facade is glass with multiple support structures at the base. Photos by Brock Keeling

The Avery

A glass tower designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Rem Koolhaas’ OMA opened in 2019. reaching 56 stories high, this residential skyscraper comes with six luxury penthouses on the top floors and an auxiliary building with affordable homes. 

Market Center

Market Center is comprised of two towers at 555 and 575 Market Street. The tower at 555 Market Street is the shorter tower at 311 feet tall and the taller tower standing at 573 feet.

Completed in 1975 by Hertzka and Knowles, 575 Market Street is a 40-story commercial building with a granite base coated in terra cotta.

A post shared by BOMA San Francisco (@bomasf) on