Architects: John Calvin Portman
Area: 84,000 sf (7,804 sm)
Year: 1973
Photography: Nathaniel Lindsey, Michael Portman, Daniel Safarik, Terri Meyer Boake, OpenSFHistory.org
Construction: Trammell Crow, David Rockefeller, John Portman
Location: San Francisco, California, United States
Gross Building Area: 837,382 sf (77,795 sm)
Stories: 17
Function: Hotel and Restaurant
The Hyatt Regency San Francisco Hotel, situated at the foot of Market Street and The Embarcadero in the financial district of San Francisco, California, is a notable example of Modernist architecture with Brutalist influences. Designed by John Calvin Portman as part of the Embarcadero Center development by Trammell Crow, David Rockefeller, and Portman himself, this 1973 building has established itself as an architectural landmark of the city.
John Calvin Portman’s first atrium hotel, the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, paved the way for many subsequent designs incorporating dramatic atria. This approach was realized in the Hyatt Regency San Francisco, where the atrium holds the Guinness world record for the largest hotel lobby, measuring 107 meters in length, 49 meters in width, and 52 meters in height (15 stories).
Architecture critic John King from the San Francisco Chronicle has described the building as a “temple of hermetic urbanism” and a “self-contained sci-fi” style. Though some view this style as dated, it continues to impress with its futuristic design. The wedge-shaped design of the building steps back to open the plaza towards the bay, creating a magnificent public gathering space adjacent to the Justin Herman Plaza.
The hotel’s Regency Club Lounge, once the Equinox rooftop revolving restaurant, now serves as an elite club for certain guests, offering 360-degree views of the city and the bay. The atrium, a central feature of the hotel, includes the large modernist sculpture “Eclipse” by Charles O Perry, adding to the dramatic aesthetic of the space.
The hotel’s design has not only influenced architecture but also popular culture. The atrium lobby served as the lobby of the Glass Tower in the 1974 film “The Towering Inferno,” featuring replicas of Portman’s trademark pill-shaped elevators. The Hyatt Regency was also featured in Mel Brooks’ comedy “High Anxiety” (1977), the film “Telefon” (1977), and “Time After Time” (1979). John Portman has credited the 1935 science fiction film “Things to Come” as an inspiration for the atrium’s design.
The Hyatt Regency San Francisco, with its 802 rooms, continues to serve as a vital part of the Embarcadero Center, offering extensive amenities including a fitness center, restaurants, lounges, a library, and convenient access to landscaped promenades, shops, and sidewalk cafes. The conference rooms and exhibition areas provide over 67,000 square feet (6,225 square meters) of meeting space, further enhancing its role as a public assembly point within this award-winning development.
Project Location
Address: 5 Embarcadero Ctr, San Francisco, CA 94111, United States
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
