The History and Architecture of the Transamerica Pyramid

An Architectural Icon For San Francisco

The Transamerica Pyramid Building in San Francisco, California is somewhat of an icon for the city. As the tallest building in San Francisco, 3rd tallest in California, and the 35th tallest in the United States, this building is special for many reasons. When it was first built, it was meant to be a headquarters for Transamerica. Transamerica eventually moved their HQ out to Baltimore, but the company still kept the building as their logo.

When the Transamerica Pyramid was built in 1972, it was the 8th tallest building in the world. It is crazy to think that the same building is now the 191st tallest building in the world only 40 years later. The building was meant to be 1,150 feet once completed, but was changed to a lower height after complaints about obstructing views of the San Francisco Bay became a concern.