ARCHITECT MAGAZINE: 181 Fremont A Skyscraper Poised for Resilience
Home to a division of Facebook and a fresh class of urbanites, the 57-story tower designed by Heller Manus Architects sets new precedents in resilience, sustainability, and urban development.
Just four blocks from where the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake buckled the double-decker Embarcadero Freeway, a model of resiliency and resistance rises 802 feet into the air. The $800 million mixed-use tower at 181 Fremont St. is the third tallest building in San Francisco and the tallest residential building on the West Coast. Home to both Facebook’s Instagram division and 67 condominiums—including a penthouse listed for more than $40 million—the project checks off a litany of firsts: the first REDi (Resilience-based Earthquake Design Initiative) Gold–rated project in the world; the first U.S. building with a fully automated emergency evacuation elevator system; the first mixed-use tower in San Francisco to be LEED Platinum pre-certified; and the first private building in San Francisco to have a graywater recycling system.