Salesforce Tower

You are now at the base of the city’s tallest skyscraper. Yes, it’s hard to appreciate its gigantism from up close, but of course you’ve been seeing it from a distance all day. What we’re interested in now is its interior, because yes, quite frankly, I’d advise you to take a tour – it’s not just another skyscraper. The tower is the centerpiece of a major urban plan, the Transbay Transit Center, aimed at creating a multifunctional transit station. Opened in 2018, it marks a turning point for San Francisco, which previously lacked buildings of this kind, concentrating its charm on its typical 20th-century structures and Victorian houses. At 326 meters, only 2 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower, this ultra-modern skyscraper is the first of its kind. Half of the 61 floors, serviced by 36 elevators, are leased by Salesforce, the customer relationship management software giant. Let’s get inside! Well, don’t go to every floor, you won’t see the end of it, but there are two or three places that are well worth a visit. First of all, the grand hall. In this 2,000 squaremeter space, you’ll find the Secret Garden, a whimsical creation by artist Julie Chang. It’s not a secret garden per se, since it’s the ground of the Salesforce tower, but it invites you into a lush, sunny Victorian garden. You can admire poppies and hummingbirds which are repectively the emblematic flower and bird of the state of California. In the center, a 55 meters wide, 3 meters high bright screen continuously broadcasts poems by local personalities such as Maya Angelou and Harvey Milk. It’s the central point where you can get information on the departures and arrivals of public transportation, located on the 3rd floor. On the 4th floor, you’ll find a real floating garden. A 2-hectare urban jungle between the buildings of the city center! It features over 600 trees and 16,000 different plants. The gardens, irrigated by rainwater, help bring freshness to the neighborhood. Presented as a botanical garden, you’ll find plenty of information about the species on display, as well as the stakes of the site. I’ll leave you to enjoy the place and this well-deserved green break! Be careful, though, when you see a place called the “Fountain Bus”. It’s a motion-sensing fountain that activates at each time a bus passes underneath it. Original indeed, but it sure can catch you off guard!