Transbay Transit Design Concept

Our design for the Transbay Transit Center and Tower expresses the heart of 21st century San Francisco as we see it – a city with tremendous diversity, creativity and willingness to question conventional solutions. It is that spirit of humane urbanism that has inspired us to pursue this challenge with great and, we believe, unmatched enthusiasm.

A Vibrant Neighbourhood

The Transbay Transit Center and Tower will be a gathering place for the entire region. It will be a multi-modal transportation center, floors of office space, a luxury hotel, a research institute, an art gallery, restaurants, condominiums, affordable housing and a great public realm that stretches almost beyond sight.

Environmentally Responsible

We have approached the Transbay project as an exceptional opportunity to create the most sustainable development of its kind – one that embraces an unconventional, forward-thinking approach to energy uses and needs. With its infusion of natural light and fresh air, the synergy of the building’s systems, and the self-generation of much of its energy and water, the Transbay Transit Center and Tower will be recognised globally as a model of environmentally and socially responsible design, aspiring to exceed carbon-neutral benchmarks by more than a decade.
Cities, as we all know, are about street life as much as they are about the buildings that frame them. Understanding how people interact outside of walls, how they connect in a positively charged way, how they talk and play and linger has informed our design.
While we have addressed all of the concerns specific to the Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA), we have chosen to work on an even grander urban scale, creating a great public realm that will bring a 24-hour vibrancy and a new sense of place to an emerging part of town. It will also provide a seamless connection between the Transbay Transit Center and the Transbay Tower.

The Ground Plane

As envisioned, the ground plane will be one contiguous social environment. Chairs, benches, cafes, lights, trees, movement in every direction will humanize the space. Key to the success of the plaza will be the creation of a vibrant civic center in which the Transbay Transit Center sits while providing a Mission Street address for the Transbay Transit Center.

The Street Level

Our concept will create a vibrant neighbourhood in a bright street-level public open space along the Transbay Transit Center’s entire length – a lively marketplace and gathering spot with cafes, market stalls and other necessities that will serve commuters, business people, visitors and residents alike.
The Transbay Transit Center will be the primary focus of activity and transport connections for San Francisco’s residents, workers and visitors. By 2020, nearly 125,000 passengers will pass through the Transbay Transit Center daily.

Passenger Experience

AC transit passengers arriving on Transbay buses will see the city skyline around them for orientation, and then use one of four vertical circulation banks to reach the street level. They will then distribute quickly through the porous Market Hall to their final destinations.

Sustainable Design

The Transbay Transit Center represents an integrated approach to design and an emphasis on sustainability. The use of natural daylight and natural ventilation throughout the length and levels of the structure; the sue of a simple and effective high performance envelope to minimise the direct solar gains to the space for passengers at the upper bus deck level; the use of tubular internal louvers to further assist in the reduction of solar gain and increase light penetration to the ground level; the sue of high performance lighting systems; the use of trickle air ventilation systems for natural heat rejection; the reliance upon rainwater and grey water for non-potable purposes – individually and collectively these are but a few examples that reflect our commitment to the strongest sustainability principles.