The Transamerica Pyramid | SFM Ambassador Scott Benbow’s City Guide

Welcome to the first installment of this exploration of San Francisco’s vibrant culture and astonishing history. Each month, we’ll focus on a different San Francisco subject, uncovering the stories that have shaped the city’s character. If you’re running the San Francisco Marathon and would like to learn more about the city, or if you’re traveling with a runner friend and wish to create an itinerary for an awesome weekend, this column will offer insights into what makes San Francisco a world-class city. Stay tuned for an exciting journey through the City by the Bay with new features and discoveries in every edition.

Written by SFM Ambassador Scott Benbow
Edited by Pavlína Marek

The Transamerica Pyramid Does Not Scrape the Sky

In the early 1970s, the striking Transamerica Pyramid established itself as an enduring symbol of San Francisco. Its square base is crowned with a tapering pyramid that narrows as it soars skyward, creating a sharp, pointed apex. “It will cut into the sky like a stiletto,” declared the San Francisco Chronicle prior to construction. The building features minimalist “science fiction futurism” design with smooth surfaces and angular lines.

In 1977, an architecture critic in The New York Times described the Transamerica Pyramid as flamboyant, a little silly, and bizarre, featuring a “façade of crashing mediocrity.” The critic concluded, in a head-spinning contradiction, that the building “enlivens the skyline in a way that benefits the entire city.” Since it was built, the Transamerica Pyramid has indeed turned heads, inspired awe, and driven critics mad.

From the sidewalks adjacent to the Transamerica Pyramid, one can see that the building is clearly not a traditional skyscraper. Instead of scraping the sky, the building more accurately pierces it. Because of its dramatic shape, the Transamerica Pyramid appears to be much taller than its 48 stories (260 meters or 853 feet). It is 66 meters (216 feet) shorter than the 61-story Salesforce Tower, its younger neighbor to the south, completed in 2018. The Transamerica Pyramid is emblematic of a relatively small city that often appears to be much larger than it is.

How to Get There?

From the Ferry Building, where the start and finish lines of the San Francisco Marathon are located, the Transamerica Pyramid at 600 Mongomery Street is an easy one-kilometer (0.6 mile) walk. For spectators waiting for their favorite runners to circumnavigate the city, a quick trip to experience the building is worthwhile.

Thanks to a $1 billion investment, the Transamerica Pyramid reopened in mid-2024 after a top-to-bottom renovation. At its base is a park featuring 50-year-old Redwood trees, which is open to the public. By summer 2025, you’ll be able to buy coffee, pastries, ice cream, and gelato on the ground floor. And, if you’re looking for a place to dine the night before the Marathon, Ama, a Japanese-inspired restaurant, will be open for dining.

About Scott Benbow

Scott Benbow is a San Francisco Marathon Ambassador, attorney, nonprofit specialist, and passionate SFM runner, who lives and runs the hills of our incredibly beautiful city with us every year.

Instagram: @scottbenbow

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