Transbay Terminal Schemes Unveiled
At San Francisco’s City Hall, three teams present proposals
On August 6, standing before Mayor Gavin Newsom, camera crews, and a large audience of onlookers, three design and development teams gathered in the North Light Court at San Francisco City Hall to unveil proposals for the new Transbay Transit Center, a complex planned for the 12-acre site that runs the length of two South-of-Market blocks.
The Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA) launched the process in February when board members—a body of officials that includes representatives from San Francisco’s transit system (MUNI), the public transportation authority for western Alameda and Contra Costa Counties (AC Transit), and the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (Caltrain)—selected four teams to develop proposals for a new $983 million transit terminal and an office and residential tower that would be leased or sold to help cover terminal’s construction costs.
The first to present were Richard Rogers, winner of this year’s Pritzker Prize, and Cathy Simon, of San Francisco–based firm SMWM. They emphasized their scheme’s public market hall and raised boulevard, which they argued would connect the horizontal expanse of the transit terminal with the vertical rise of a 1,225-foot tower. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill partners Craig Hartman and Brian Lee followed with a polished presentation of a compact, two-story bus terminal that would reduce the building’s footprint and make room for a performing arts park. New Haven’s Cesar Pelli teamed up with Berkeley-based landscape architect Peter Walker on a “what-if” vision of a 5.5-acre linear park raised six stories off the ground.
The fourth team, led by Santiago Calatrava, dropped out of the competition in May. A design jury will make its recommendation to the TJPA on September 20, at which time board members will vote for the winning proposal.
Julie Kim
Pelli Clark Pelli's transit center design
Pelli Clark Pelli's office/residential tower design
Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners' office/residential tower design
Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners' transit center design
SOM's transit center design
SOM's office/residential tower design