Millennium Tower

San Francisco, USA

Photo © Scott Hargis

Photo © Bruce Damonte

Photo © Scott Hargis

Photo © Bruce Damonte

Photo © Scott Hargis

Apartment Buildings

Architects: Handel Architects

Location: 301 Mission Street, San Francisco, 94105 San Francisco, USA
Year: 2009

The tallest residential building in the United States west of Chicago, Millennium Tower consists of a 60-story tower, a nine-story mid-rise portion with apartments, an amenity level, retail space, and a public glass atrium. The central atrium links the two structures together. Designed as the primary public entry and gathering space for the project, the two-story glass atrium creates an indoor garden space along the street. In total the project includes 419 condominium units, 21,500 square feet of amenity space, 8,000 square feet of retail space, and a five-level underground parking garage for 340 cars.

At 645 feet, the tower is the fourth-tallest structure on the city's skyline. The exterior is designed to create the impression of a translucent crystal, with materials that incorporate a variety of glass and metal fins to craft a sense of lightness and transparency. The tower's slender proportions, combined with clean lines and a sleek profile, visually reinforce the elegance of the crystalline character. The exterior profile has been sculpted with chamfered corners and faceted planes creating a perception that the building’s silhouette shifts as the light changes throughout the day.