In the months since our last update, progress has been moving along nicely at the site of 181 Fremont in San Francisco. Designed by Heller Manus Architects for the Jay Paul Company, the 54-storey residential mixed-used tower currently on the rise in the South of Market (SoMa) neighbourhood of downtown San Francisco is set to transform the local skyline. Recent images from our Forum reveal the rate of progress, with significant exterior glass cladding now in place, revealing how the structure will appear upon completion in 2017.

Cladding moving up the tower, image by Forum contributor edwards

Visible today in much more detail, the geometric exterior design is beginning to take shape. The curtain wall glass is arranged in a sawtooth pattern, which will rest between diagonal white bracing that is climbing upwards from the base of the tower. 

181 Fremont, skyline view, image by Forum contributor edwards

Visible above, the tower will eventually be capped with a distinct, slanted roofline. Rising near the celebrated Transbay Transit Center and Salesforce Tower designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli, 181 Fremont is representative of the transformation of downtown San Francisco. Below, a rendering of the project highlights the finished look of the tower, as it will appear in context with the new transit terminal upon completion in 2017. 

181 Fremont in context with Transbay Transit Center, image via Heller Manus Architects

The new tower will contain 435,000 square feet of Class A office space, and expects to qualify for LEED Platinum status thanks to its efficient use of recycled materials and the implementation of a green roof. In addition to the office space, the top 17 floors will be occupied by 67 residential units, ranging from two-bedroom to penthouse suites. Residents will be granted direct access to the adjacent Transbay Transit Terminal, and its signature rooftop park and public space. At 800 feet, the new building will become the second-tallest structure in the city — that is of course, until the completion of the Salesforce Tower, which will surpass both 181 Fremont and the iconic Transamerica Pyramid in height.

181 Fremont framed against the Bay Bridge, image via Heller Manus Architects

The photos below were captured from the tower's 45th floor and begin with a stereotypically foggy San Francisco skyline similar to the view depicted in the rendering above.

View of the Bay Bridge from atop 181 Fremont, image by reddit user sithlordmoore

As in the rendering, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is clearly visible from 181 Fremont, despite the low fog that has rolled into the Bay. Taken from the other side, the rising core and surrounding steel structure of the under-construction Salesforce Tower can be seen in the image below, along with cranes and the surrounding SoMa skyline. 

Construction underway on the 45th floor of 181 Fremont, image by reddit user sithlordmoore

Condos shrouded in fog, as seen from atop 181 Fremont, framed by the surrounding Bay, and skyline:

Views from atop 181 Fremont, image by reddit user sithlordmoore

SkyriseCities will be sure to return to this project as progress continues. For more information check out the associated Database file and Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.