| The imposing Transamerica Pyramid is the tallest and | | | | light is lit on the pinnacle of the spire. |
| most famous skyscraper in this city. Originally | | | | It was Transamerica President John R. Beckett who |
| constructed to function as the headquarters of the | | | | suggested the building's unconventional shape, |
| Transamerica Corporation, the building no longer | | | | observing that the shape of trees allowed sunlight and |
| carries out this role, but remains inseparable from the | | | | fresh air to reach the areas below. Accordingly |
| image of Transamerica. | | | | renowned architect William Pereira translated this |
| Situated at the famous Montgomery Block, the | | | | vision to reality, successfully achieving these objectives. |
| Transamerica Pyramid stands 260m tall, and at the | | | | At the top of the building's spire are located four |
| time of its completion in 1972 ranked among the five | | | | cameras forming a virtual observation deck; the zoom |
| tallest buildings in the world. Containing no less than 48 | | | | and direction of the cameras can be manipulated by |
| floors of office space, it was at one time the tallest | | | | visitors via the monitors in the lobby which provide a |
| building west of the Mississippi. | | | | glimpse over the skyline 24 hours a day. |
| The building takes the shape of an elongated | | | | A large proportion of skyscrapers were constructed |
| four-sided pyramid, with two extensions that house a | | | | during a period of intense building activity that occurred |
| smoke tower and stairwell on the west and an | | | | from the 1960s to the 1980s. Civic authority regulations |
| elevator shaft on the east. The Pyramid appears | | | | slowed down the building activity in the 1990s but in |
| vibrant white in color due to a layer of crushed quartz | | | | recent years shortage of building space has caused a |
| applied on its exterior, while the 64m spire is clad with | | | | resumption of high-rise construction, promising further |
| aluminium panels. During the Christmas season, a bright | | | | additions to San Francisco's already impressive skyline. |