Transamerica Pyramid as a skyline icon and controversy

The Transamerica Pyramid, completed in 1972 and designed by William Pereira, became an immediately recognizable symbol of San Francisco and was the city's tallest skyscraper until the Salesforce Tower topped out in 2018. Its angular form and proposed height sparked controversy at the time of planning and remain part of local conversations about skyline aesthetics and urban development. The building's prominence in photographs, films, and civic identity anchors many pieces of San Francisco lore about the city's modern image.