Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects' vast transit hub in downtown San Francisco will eventually connect 11 regional, state and national public transport modes, and is topped with a public park.
The Salesforce Transit Center encompasses 1.5 million square feet (140,000 square metres), stretching five blocks parallel to Mission Street in the heart of the city.
Photograph by Steelblue (also main image)
Positioned below the recently completed Salesforce Tower, also by Pelli Clarke Pelli (PCP) and now San Francisco's tallest skyscraper, the centre sits among other major development projects to transform the area into a mixed-use neighbourhood.
The building comprises multiple storeys both above and below ground, bridging several roads overhead and connecting to subterranean rail lines.
At ground level, the main concourse features high ceilings, and includes retail and cafes for commuters and visitors.
A Grand Hall at the centre is designed as a public space, and is illuminated by a huge domed skylight. A series of "light columns" in this atrium is used to bring natural light all the way down to the rail platforms two levels below.

"In the spirit of New York's Grand Central Terminal and London's Victoria Station, the Transit Center's soaring light-filled spaces will give San Francisco a grand entrance that befits its status as one of the world's great cities," said a project description from Pelli Clarke Pelli.
The building's third storey, which includes the bus de...