Over the years, many Bay Curious listeners have wondered about how the iconic Transamerica Pyramid came to be. So, in the year of its 50th birthday we bring you the story of a building that was once deemed "architectural butchery," but is now beloved by many.

Additional Reading:

 The Transamerica Pyramid at 50: From 'Architectural Butchery' to Icon


San Francisco Chronicle archival photos of the Transamerica Pyramid

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This story was reported by Carly Severn. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Brendan Willard. Our Social Video Intern is Darren Tu. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Jasmine Garnett, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.