First Market Tower

First Market Tower
  1. About the First Market Tower in San Francisco
    1. Prizes & Awards
  2. Architect and team
  3. Architectural style
  4. Spaces and uses
  5. Structure and materials

The First Market Tower is an International Style skyscraper designed by John Carl Warnecke, and built in 1973 in San Francisco, CA.

First Market Tower is not the only name you might know this building by though. The building is, or has also been known as 525 Market Street .

Its precise street address is 525 Market Street, San Francisco, CA. You can also find it on the map here.

In 2023 the First Market Tower was awarded with the BOMA TOBY Awards Winner.

The building underwent a major restoration in 2016. The architect commissioned to undertake this restoration was Shed Landscape Architect, PWP Landscape Architecture, and Keating Architecture.

Building's timeline

Construction completed
1973
51
a
Restoration
2016
8
years ago
2024
  1. 2016 - The building's plaza was renovated by adding a circular fountain, landscaping arrangements, and seating.

    A new canopy that extends from the street all the way to the elevator core at the center of the building was installed.

    The two-story lobby was rebuilt including a glass bridge over the expansive lobby along Market Street. The architect in charge was Shed Landscape Architect, PWP Landscape Architecture, and Keating Architecture.

Architect and team

John Carl Warnecke was the architecture firm in charge of the architectural design.

That being said, architecture is a complex discipline involving many professionals from different fields, without whom this building would have not been possible. We will surely be leaving out a lot of names here, but at the very least we know that there was one other part involved, that was Cahill Contractors, Inc. as the Main Contractor.

Architectural Style

The First Market Tower can be categorized as an International Style building.

The international style originated in Europe in the early 20th century, and made its way to the US a couple of decades later when the rise of the Nazi regime forced figures such as Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer, or Mies van der Rohe to flee Europe.

The International Style emerged as a response to the prevailing historicism and ornate architecture styles of the late 19th century, which according to a younger generation of architects didn't represent the new materials and construction techniques that were on the rise at the time.

Architecture in the early 20th century US was marked by the adoption of steel structures, modern construction techniques, and the rise of the skyscraper. As it turns out, this combination of circumstances created the perfect ecosystem for the International Style to flourish, becoming the to-go style for skyscraper designs during the mid-20th century, when American cities were growing fast.

The International Style’s legacy can not only be found in numerous iconic buildings across all major American cities, but also incorporated in contemporary architecture, which still puts a big emphasis on functionality and minimalism.

Spaces & Uses

The First Market Tower reaches an architectural height of 528ft (161m). It has a total of 38 floors, served by 20 elevators.

Ever since opening its doors to the public in 1973, the First Market Tower has mainly been used as Commercial space.

528ft (161m)

Materials & Structure

The First Market Tower uses a frame structure made of steel columns and concrete slabs.

A frame structure uses a combination of beams and columns to sustain the building's weight. The walls in this case are non-load bearing, which allows for more flexibility when distributing the interior spaces.

The facade uses a non-load bearing curtain wall system. This means the curtain wall modules are anchored to the building's structural frame, typically by being attached to the edge of the floor slabs. The curtain wall system connects to the slabs using brackets, anchors, and mullions, which transfer the loads imposed by wind and temperature changes, to the building's primary structural elements.

This setup allows the curtain wall to accommodate differential movement between the facade and the structural frame, such as thermal expansion, floor deflection, or sway from wind forces. This system's integration with the slab edges also allows for continuous insulation and weatherproofing layers.

Non-structural Curtain Wall Facade
Non-structural Curtain Wall Facade

From an aesthetic point of view, the facade features a glass and limestone curtain wall organized in very narrow vertical stripes that come together at a thick capital that serves as culmination of the building.

Not only is the building organized like a classic column, with a base, shaft, and capital, but the limestone also contributes to giving it an older look, leaning towards some brutalist vibes, while the glass reminds us that this is a modern building we are looking at.

Other materials found at the First Market Tower include, aluminium, Used in the cladding of the central entrance columns., English Oak, found in the elevator core walls, and travertine, found flanking the receptionist desk.

Sources

  • www.525marketstreet.com
  • sfyimby.com
  • en.wikipedia.org
  • www.keatingarchitecture.com
  • www.usgbc.org