Uber Headquarters / SHoP Architects

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Taking advantage ofSan Francisco’s temperate climate, the sustainability features of the Uber buildings center on their innovative “breathing” façades—a computer-controlled system of operable windows that greatly reduce the need for mechanical ventilation. The full-building-height indoor/outdoor spaces of the Commons serve as a buffer zone between the unconditioned exterior and the conditioned interior office environment. That feature is an integral part of a whole-building environmental strategy that also includes on-site water collection and solar harvesting, with green space both on the roof and in the public park at ground level.Text description provided by the architects.In addition to supporting responsible development by locating it in the city near public transportation, the project’s key goal is to bring this developing area into step with the successful, human-scaled environments for whichSan Franciscois so famous. The 423,000-square-foot project includes an eleven-story tower at 1455 Third Street and a six-story structure at 1515 Third Street, each with active facades that are part of a comprehensive approach to sustainability.This new workplace, Uber’s first ground-up building, also marks a departure from the growing trend of an entirely open-plan office. Instead, workstations are arranged in a series of smaller neighborhoods, each with access to shared support and collaborative work zones. Defined by their distinct palettes and elevated materiality, these neighborhoods echo the rich mix of lifestyles essential to the health of every urban environment—and every large company.