Architecture

Twisting tower turns heads in San Francisco

Twisting tower turns heads in San Francisco
Mira’s strange twisting form is designed to reduce bird impact, says developer Tishman Speyer
Mira’s strange twisting form is designed to reduce bird impact, says developer Tishman Speyer
View 7 Images
Mira is located in San Francisco and offers residents views of San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge, and the city skyline
1/7
Mira is located in San Francisco and offers residents views of San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge, and the city skyline
Mira’s strange twisting form is designed to reduce bird impact, says developer Tishman Speyer
2/7
Mira’s strange twisting form is designed to reduce bird impact, says developer Tishman Speyer
Mira consists of 392 residences, plus some retail space on the ground floor
3/7
Mira consists of 392 residences, plus some retail space on the ground floor
Mira's apartments range in size but have an average floorspace of approximately 1,300 sq ft (roughly 120 sq m)
4/7
Mira's apartments range in size but have an average floorspace of approximately 1,300 sq ft (roughly 120 sq m)
Mira's apartments range between one bedroom and three bedroom units
5/7
Mira's apartments range between one bedroom and three bedroom units
Mira's apartments range in size between one and three bedrooms and offer choice views of San Francisco
6/7
Mira's apartments range in size between one and three bedrooms and offer choice views of San Francisco
Mira's residents have access to amenities including rooftop lounge areas, private dining spaces, and a fitness center
7/7
Mira's residents have access to amenities including rooftop lounge areas, private dining spaces, and a fitness center
View gallery - 7 images

Residents recently began moving into a stunning new luxury tower by Studio Gang. Named Mira, it stands out among San Francisco's busy skyline with an unusual design that twists as it rises to a height of 400 ft (121 m). The project also has sustainable features, such as rainwater collection and greywater recycling.

Mira consists of the main 40-story tower pictured and an eight-story podium building. Its distinctive twisting shape is conceived as a reinterpretation of the classic bay window architecture of San Francisco, says Studio Gang, and was created with a modular facade system that repeats every 11 floors, allowing for a streamlined build process.

"A sophisticated curtain wall facade system allows the bays to be attached to a repeatable structural slab from inside the building, reducing the need for a tower crane on site and limiting energy consumption and neighborhood impact during construction," explains the firm. "The bays allow for a high-performance facade that is 51 percent opaque without inhibiting nearly 180-degree-views in every unit."

Additionally, developer Tishman Speyer says that its shape serves a practical purpose too, helping to prevent bird strikes, as well as breaking up the wind flow and adding some shading.

The project is slated for LEED Gold (a green building standard) and includes an efficient VRF cooling system and some green roof areas. A greywater harvesting system and a rainwater collection system reduce its use of city water.

Mira's apartments range in size between one and three bedrooms and offer choice views of San Francisco
Mira's apartments range in size between one and three bedrooms and offer choice views of San Francisco

Its interior consists of 392 residences (plus some retail space on the ground floor), which are a mixture of one, two, and three bedroom units of varying size and style. They offer living areas with expansive bay windows and open kitchens with Miele appliances and Sozo Studios cabinetry. Bathrooms feature marble, Italian-made porcelain tile, and Kohler polished chrome fixtures.

Residents also have access to amenities like rooftop lounge areas, a landscaped courtyard, private dining room, fitness center, children's playroom and valet parking.

If you'd like to purchase yourself a pad in Mira, appointments are available on request. We’ve no word on the pricing, though the San Francisco Chronicle reports that units on the uppermost floors start at around US$5 million.

Source: Studio Gang

View gallery - 7 images
4 comments
4 comments
cjboffoli
Aesthetically interesting. But the window washers are going to hate it.
Nelson Hyde Chick
cjboffoli, it is San Francisco, robots will be cleaning the windows.
PeterBrandt
Seems like a copy-cat version of New York City's, 9 Spruce St., in lower Manhattan by Frank Gehry
francm
Looks like Grasshopper parametric design on steroids!