The Transamerica Pyramid is the tallest and most recognizable skyscraper in the San Francisco skyline. It has a structural height of 260 meters (853 feet) and contains 48 stories of retail and office space. Construction was begun in 1969 and finished in 1972.
The building itself is a tall, four-sided pyramid with two "wings" on opposite sides of the building. The wing to the east of the building contains an elevator shaft, while the wing to the west contains a stairwell and a smoke tower. The top 64.6 meters (212 feet) of the building is the spire. There are four cameras pointed in the four cardinal directions at the top of this spire. Four monitors in the lobby broadcast the cameras' views 24 hours a day.
The Transamerica Pyramid was the tallest skyscraper west of the Mississippi from 1972-1974, when it was surpassed by the Aon Center in Los Angeles.
William Pereira was the architect that designed this building.