Twisting tower turns heads in San Francisco

By Adam Williams July 23, 2020

Mira’s strange twisting form is designed to reduce bird impact, says developer Tishman Speyer
Scott Hargis

VIEW 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
Scott Hargis

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