UBER

UBER opened its striking new headquarters in the emerging Mission Bay area of San Francisco in March 2021.

The headquarters consists of two glass buildings – 11 and 6 storeys high – connected by earthquake-proof transparent bridges. As well as housing over 3,500 employees, the buildings provide cafés, childcare facilities and retail space on the ground floor.

Brands: Gartner, Permasteelisa North America

Architects: SHoP Architects, Quezada Architecture

Client: Truebeck Construction

The project

The concept

The glass buildings, designed by SHoP Architects and Quezada Architecture, were intended to reflect the company’s open corporate culture. Sustainability was a key priority – the project includes on-site water collection and solar harvesting, with green space on the roof and in a public park at ground level. As part of the whole-building environmental strategy, we were challenged to create dynamic, ‘breathing’ façades that would be energy efficient.

What did we do?

We designed, engineered, manufactured and installed a total of 29,700 sqm of façade, including curtain wall, skylights and two bridges. A unique feature of the development is our purpose-built solution for ventilation – glazed atria are naturally ventilated via windows in the exterior façade, while a computer-controlled system of 162 operable windows and skylights reduces the need for mechanical ventilation. With windows making up approximately 20% of the glass envelope, natural ventilation and daylight usage make a significant contribution to the buildings’ LEED Platinum sustainability rating.