In 2004, San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors approved what would become one of the largest and most significant luxury condominium developments to break ground in the city’s history. Recently completed, LUMINA (also known as 201 Folsom Street) is a 655-unit mixed-use, residential condominium project found at the foot of Rincon Hill in the heart of San Francisco’s dynamic Financial District. Envisioned by Tishman Speyer, the New York based real-estate investment firm, the project was executed by Arquitectonica, Magnusson Klemencic and II BY IV DESIGN, the Canadian creative firm responsible for the chic interior architecture.
San Francisco County is the most expensive apartment market in the region and rivals Manhattan as the costliest market in the United States. Prices for condominiums in San Francisco have soared more than 30 per cent in the last two years with the median sale price for a condo reaching $1.1m in 2015 according to Paragon Real Estate Group, a consultancy. The current cost per square foot in the city averages $1,200 whereas LUMINA residents are looking at almost $1,400; prices for the development’s studio, one bedroom plus den, two bedroom to three bedroom units range from $895,000 to $3,365,00 with eight 3,770 square feet penthouses starting at $8.895 million.
Only two blocks from the Embarcadero waterfront and within easy walking distance of the main business district, LUMINA offers over 45,000 square feet of amenities and is ideally placed to offer a premier urban lifestyle to design-savvy professionals. With many offerings, its downtown locale and striking city scape views are just the beginning.
LUMINA features a wide array of lifestyle focused amenities including a 10,500 sq.ft. landscaped rooftop terrace with outdoor movie lawn, bi-level club lounge, 7,000+ square foot fitness centre with indoor climbing wall and a 75-ft lap pool. Not to mention the private dining room, screening room, library lounge, children’s room, pet grooming station, spa and music practice rooms or Audi vehicles available exclusively for LUMINA residents.
The interiors created by II BY IV DESIGN are warm and modern, framed by expansive windows with views of San Francisco Bay and the surrounding city. An overriding neutral colour palette of rich materials accented by pops of colour speak to a vibrant, contemporary elegance and upscale lifestyle.
“The luxurious amenities at LUMINA rival some of the world’s finest hotels” says Dan Menchions, principal and partner at II BY IV DESIGN, “conceived with an active and social demographic in mind there is something for everyone.” The design firm had a hand in layout of the amenity floor plan, intentionally creating the public areas as an extension of the primary circulation paths to foster a social atmosphere; as an example, the pool and rock climbing areas are overlooked by a main corridor and open circular staircase.
In competitive urban centres like San Francisco where developers are specifically targeting the high-end of the market; they are turning to premiere lifestyle inspired amenities to attract potential purchasers and collaborating with experts like II BY IV DESIGN to create the ultimate in luxury living.