Construction was recently completed on Verde, a new mixed-use tower along the San Francisco waterfront, marking the end of the first phase of the Mission Rock development. Verde is the fourth and final building of phase one of the 28-acre project that will be constructed in several phases guided by design principles developed by a design cohort led by Studio Gang.
Verde, intended to be Mission Rock’s central social hub, takes its name from distinctive, green-colored glazed ceramic cladding that allows for variations in color and depth at multiple scales. The 23-story building provides 254 new residential units—59 of which are designated for middle-income households at below-market rents.
The building features a ground-level café, shops, and micro-activations that include a water bottle refill station and a living wall. Resident amenities include a fitness center, lounges, a game room, a golf simulator, and a shared outdoor dining space equipped with a barbecue and firepit. A sky deck on the tower’s roof provides another space for residents to take in views of Oracle Park, San Francisco Bay, and the city’s skyline.
“We wanted to create spaces where residents could connect with each other while feeling embraced by the natural beauty of San Francisco,” said Studio Gang’s founding partner Jeanne Gang. “The tower’s floorplates are carved back at the corners to create outdoor terraces that are unique across each floor. These terraces are oriented to maximize sunlight and protect from the wind while providing residents views of the city and San Francisco Bay. From the street, the alternating carved terraces give the building a rhythmic play of light.”
Located near major public transit nodes, the site offers access to the waterfront Bay Trail and over 250 bicycle parking spaces to encourage alternative and active modes of transportation. The development is elevated five feet above sea level to ensure protection against future sea level rise and storm surges. The building reuses and recycles greywater for irrigation and non-potable needs, as well as sources hot and cold water from a District Energy Plant. Planted with regionally appropriate flora, the sky deck attracts birds, butterflies, and other pollinators to enhance urban biodiversity. The building is targeting LEED Gold certification.
Verde is part of Mission Rock redevelopment led by Mission Rock Partners, a public-private partnership between Tishman Speyer, the San Francisco Giants, and the Port of San Francisco. The new neighborhood offers unprecedented public access to San Francisco Bay and introduces more than 500 new homes and 600,000 sf of retail and office space to San Francisco’s Central Waterfront.
The first phase of Mission Rock features China Basin Park, a new 5-acre public park designed by SCAPE that opened in April 2024, and four new buildings. In addition to Verde, phase one’s buildings include The Canyon, a residential building designed by MVRDV that opened in June 2023, the new home of Visa’s Market Support Center designed by Henning Larsen that opened in June 2024, and a new commercial building designed by WorkAC.
On the project team:
Owner and/or developer: Mission Rock Partners
Design architect: Studio Gang
Architect of record: Studio Gang
Mechanical Engineer: Critchfield Mechanical Inc.
Electrical Engineer: PAE
Plumbing Engineer: SJE Engineers
Structural engineer: Magnusson Klemencic Associates
General contractor: Webcor Builders
Related Stories
Mixed-Use | Nov 16, 2015
Italian architect designs vertical forest with prefab units by BuroHappold
Cantilevered planters will host cedar trees and other plants hundreds of feet above ground.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 7, 2015
BIG designs lush, terraced mixed-use building in Sweden
Cascading glass and wooden cubes create a form similar to Northern Ireland’s Giant’s Causeway rock formation.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 1, 2015
Wiel Arets unveils twin, 558-foot mixed-use towers in Bahrain’s capital
The development, Bahrain Bay Tower, will consist of two residential towers connected “by a plinth of retail, office, parking, and public park space.”
Cultural Facilities | Sep 24, 2015
Bakpak Architects' 'pottery courtyard' concept in Poland incorporates local heritage
The multifunctional building proposed for Rzeszow, Poland, looks like it was handcrafted on a potter’s wheel.
Mixed-Use | Aug 26, 2015
Innovation districts + tech clusters: How the ‘open innovation’ era is revitalizing urban cores
In the race for highly coveted tech companies and startups, cities, institutions, and developers are teaming to form innovation hot pockets.
High-rise Construction | Aug 7, 2015
Tribute tower to cricket world champs will be Sri Lanka’s tallest
The 1996 Iconic Tower will be a tribute to the country’s cricket team, which won the World Cup in 1996.
High-rise Construction | Aug 4, 2015
Construction of Vietnam’s tallest building commences in Ho Chi Minh City
A 1,509-foot skyscraper broke ground on the banks of the Saigon River in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
High-rise Construction | Jul 29, 2015
Jerusalem to get a high-rise pyramid by Daniel Libeskind
Are pyramids making a comeback? The city of Paris recently approved a triangle-shaped building that stirred controversy from residents. Now, the city of Jerusalem gave Libeskind's pyramid tower the go-ahead.
Mixed-Use | Jul 22, 2015
Despite China's 'ghost cities,' the country continues construction boom
Cities continue to spring up in the heart of China. Designed to accommodate millions, many are still nearly empty.
High-rise Construction | Jul 13, 2015
Herzog & de Meuron’s triangle tower stirs controversy in Paris
The 590-foot glass pyramid building will include a 120-room hotel, 754,000 sf of office space, and cultural facilities.
