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SAN FRANCISCO ARCHITECTURE WALKING TOUR
Joined 2023
Discover the architectural gems of San Francisco on a 3 hour walking tour of the city’s Financial and SOMA District. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, this immersive experience is designed to be both accessible and informative. You’ll learn about the city’s most distinctive buildings, public squares, open spaces, and historic landmarks.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
- SFMOMA is one of the largest modern and contemporary art museums in the United States, located in San Francisco's bustling SoMA district. It offers seven gallery floors showcasing an impressive collection of painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, design, and media arts, along with 45,000 square feet of free, art-filled public spaces.
Four Seasons Private Residences (2019)
Four Seasons Private Residences in San Francisco offer luxury living in the heart of the city. The development comprises a 45-story modern tower and a restored historic building, housing 146 one- to four-bedroom residences.
Linkedin Building (2016)
LinkedIn's San Francisco headquarters is a striking 26-story skyscraper lThe 440,000 square foot building was designed by IA Interior Architects with a focus on reflecting the city's diverse landscape and history through color, texture, patterns, and art installations
Pacific Bell Telephone Building (1925
The Pacific Bell Telephone Building, also known as 140 New Montgomery, is an iconic 26-story Art Deco skyscraper located in San Francisco's South of Market district. Completed in 1925, it was the city's first significant high-rise development and stood as the tallest building in San Francisco until 1927
181 Fremont (2018)
181 Fremont is a striking 803-foot mixed-use skyscraper completed in 2018 in San Francisco's South of Market District. Designed by Heller Manus Architects, it features a unique exoskeleton structure that enhances the skyline and provides seismic resilience, earning Gold rating for earthquake safety.
SALESFORCE TOWER (2018)
The Salesforce Tower (2018) is an iconic 1,070-foot skyscraper that has redefined the San Francisco skyline as the city's tallest building. It is the centerpiece of the Transbay redevelopment area, adjacent to the new Salesforce Transit Center with bus service to 11 Bay Area counties and future high-speed rail.
THE SALESFORCE TRANSBAY TRANSIT CENTER (2018)
The Salesforce Transit Center (2018) is a state-of-the-art multimodal transit hub in downtown San Francisco, serving as the "Grand Central Station" of the West Coast. This impressive structure spans five city blocks and features A stunning 5.4-acre rooftop park with walking trails, gardens, playgrounds, and performance venues, offering a lush urban oasis in the heart of the city.
THE MILLENNIUM (2009) The "Sinking Tower"
The Millennium Tower, completed in 2009, is a 58-story luxury residential skyscraper located in San Francisco's South of Market district. It is the city's fourth-tallest building and was once a symbol of the area's revitalization. However, the tower has gained notoriety for sinking and tilting at an alarming rate due to its inadequate foundation anchoring. The $350 million tower has sunk over 17 inches and tilted 14 inches towards the northwest since its opening. It continues to sink at a rate of around 1.5 inches per year.
THE CROWN ZELLERBACH BUILDING (1959) 140 BUSH
The Crown Zellerbach Building, now known as One Bush Plaza, is a 20-story International Style office tower completed in 1959 at 1 Bush Street in San Francisco's Financial District. It was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and features a pioneering glass curtain wall facade and an innovative open floor plan with exterior columns allowing for unobstructed interior spaces.
Ending Point
130 BUSH STREET: The "Narrowest Building in San Francisco
Want to personalize this tour?
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Included: Private Guide Fee and a handout at the end of the tour with a list of all the buildings discussed on the tour including not only a description and name of the buildings but addresses, dates built, and the names of the architects.
Transportation to and from tour
Tour Important Information
--Tour is 100% Walking - No rest stops. No Wheelchair access
--No major hills to climb: We actually only go about 8 blocks from the starting location
--The tour is approximately 2.5 hours to 3 hours long - sometimes shorter, but can also be longer depending on the number of people on the tour
--Children are welcomed but it needs to be noted that the tour is designed for adults or young adults with an interest in the architecture and/or history of San Francisco. There are no discounts for children
--The content of the tour is relatively sophisticated and presented in a lecture" style.
--We do not see any Victorian Homes. this tour concentrates only on the design and history of the modern and classic buildings in the Downtown Financial District of San Francisco. We also explore special unique urban open spaces and discuss the past and future urban plan of the city
--Absolutely no Baby Strollers allowed on the tour.
--No animals of any kind are allowed on the walk
--All participants will receive at the end of the tour a detailed listing of the buildings discussed on the tour
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Joined 2023
About Tour Guide Rick E.
Hello, Rick here, I would like to invite you to join me in experiencing San Francisco from a unique perspective of the historic and modern buildings of San Francisco - I believe this tour will be one of the most fascinating and original tours you've ever taken...
It's the only Architecture Tour in San Francisco that is led by an Architecture Historian and includes information not covered on other tours nor can be found in guidebooks.
$300/ per group
