Shell Building, Art Deco skyscraper in Financial District, San Francisco, United States
The Shell Building is a 29-story skyscraper in the Financial District featuring distinctive shell ornaments on its exterior and throughout the interior spaces. The structure combines Art Deco and Gothic Moderne design elements typical of 1920s commercial architecture.
Architect George W. Kelham designed this steel-frame structure completed in 1929, during San Francisco's first major wave of skyscraper development. The building rose just before the Great Depression slowed commercial construction in the city.
The shell ornaments that decorate both the exterior and lobby represent the maritime imagery that appealed to San Francisco's business community during the 1920s. This design choice reflected the city's connection to commerce and the sea.
The building is located at Bush Street in the Financial District and is easy to reach while walking through the neighborhood. You can enter the lobby to view the shell motifs up close, though the upper office floors are not open to the public.
A comprehensive renovation in the 1990s transformed the interior while preserving the distinctive exterior shell ornaments that define the building. This careful restoration demonstrated how historic buildings can be updated for modern use without losing their character.
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