Platt-Whitelaw Architects

Balboa Park

Want the 411 on Balboa Park’s Botanical Building Redo? Tour with Us!

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Excitement Builds as Renovation of Iconic Balboa Park Structure Progresses

In the early 20th century, California was promoting redwood construction. The 1915 California-Panama Exposition was the perfect place to showcase its redwood lumber to the rest of the nation and the world.

This is why the Botanical Building in Balboa Park, built as part of said exposition, is made predominately from redwood.

A Tour & Trivia

We’d like to thank Wayne Donaldson, who co-led a recent construction tour of the Botanical Building for our staff and threw in some trivia, like the fact above. It’s exciting to see our architectural restoration design come to life and to learn more about the preservation of this majestic building.

Wayne, a preservation architect and former State Historic Preservation Officer of California, is part of our design team for the Botanical Building restoration, which is currently underway. EC Constructors is serving as the general contractor, and its owner, Jim Summers, was the other half of the duo leading our tour.

Rebuilding a San Diego Icon

“EC Constructors is doing great job producing high quality work,” said Platt/Whitelaw Principal Sandra Gramley, AIA, who along with Yolanda Velazco, LEED Green associate, and Sam Saltzman comprise our PWA team for the Botanical Building. “Curved, wood moldings are something contemporary framers don’t often have to deal with, so Jim and his team truly became craftsmen to form the wood to match the moldings from 1915.”

Also taking shape are the windows and the arcade across the front of the building, which are being recreated from the original design.

“The stucco arcade and windows were part of the original building but few people living today have seen them as part of this structure,” Sandra added.

The last renovation of the building happened in the 1950’s, which is when the windows and stucco arcade were removed.

Even More Trivia

The Botanical Building is one of just four structures from the 1915 exposition that was designed to remain in place after the exposition.

Another piece of trivia Wayne shared during our tour was this: The building wasn’t included in the original master plan for the park.

It not only got added to the plan, but the building is still here nearly 110 years later. What’s even more fascinating: it just had a refurbished, 2,000-pound cupola plopped on top of it.

Our readers may have seen press coverage of the cupola installation. The copper steeple and dome cupola is the same one first installed in 1915.

Men (& Women) at Work

Restoration work still pending includes window installation, some framing, wood trim, stucco application and molding work. Those keeping careful tabs will already know that the work is happening from the west end of the building and progressing to the east end.

The restoration work also involves preserving the iconic Moreton Bay Fig tree planted at the northeast corner of the building when it was originally constructed in 1915. Over time, the tree roots grew into the building! To make sure the tree can keep growing, modifications were made to the exterior facade.

While a few other mature plantings remained in place during construction, the City of San Diego will eventually repatriate and add new smaller plants that have been living off site while work progresses.

Then, Now & Gratitude

Over the decades, water damaged the wood and steel extensively and a remodel compromised the original design of the Botanical Building. For the past couple of years, we’ve provided architectural design services to restore this beloved structure and worked with a wonderful team to do so. It’s an incredible project to be part of, and we’re grateful to the City of San Diego for the opportunity.

Woot! Sandra Named to SDBJ’s Women of Influence!

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We’re celebrating our co-owner Sandra Gramley, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD&C, for landing a second consecutive spot on the San Diego Business Journal’s annual Women of Influence in Architecture list!

To understand why she’s such a rockstar, we’re sharing some of the ways Sandra has built her distinguished career and made a difference in our region and in our profession.

  • Sandra is co-owner of one of San Diego’s oldest architectural firms…that’s us! She continues our firm’s legacy of designing for public/community projects, and many of our region’s schools, libraries and park facilities, came from Sandra’s imagination and talents.
  • Sandra’s expertise in historic architecture helps preserve the legacy of San Diego – including work in Balboa Park, at SDSU and other historic preservation projects in the county.
  • Sandra believes in employing people that reflect an array of cultures, races, lifestyles, and genders, and that our projects are more successful for it. She safeguards Platt/Whitelaw Architects’ reputation for diverse hiring practices — not just accepting different cultures but celebrating them.
  • A champion of improving accessibility for everyone, many of Sandra’s projects involve accessibility improvements to public spaces. For example, she recently worked with the City of San Diego to develop a Therapeutic Recreation and Agewell Services Recreation Center, the first of its kind on the west coast.
  • For 13 years, Sandra taught interiors and sustainable design at the Design Institute, helping a new generation of designers start designing spaces with minimal environmental impacts.
  • Sandra has given generously of her time and talents to the American Institute of Architects (AIA), serving as president of the San Diego Chapter in 2020, interim president last year, and in several other AIA roles over the years.
  • Many years ago, Sandra and her AIA San Diego Committee on the Environment team worked with the community to determine specific goals. They then secured a Sustainable Design Assistance Team grant from the national AIA organization to set up the Pacific Beach Eco-District. To this day, the Eco-District works to increase equity, resilience and climate protection for the Pacific Beach region.
  • Sandra served a two-year term on the AIA California’s Board of Directors.

We’re all honored to work with such a great role model and someone who genuinely cares about elevating the architectural profession. Thank you to the San Diego Business Journal for recognizing Sandra and including her on the Women of Influence list.

The Botanical Building in Balboa Park – Makeover Edition!

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Iconic San Diego structure will soon be restored to its original condition…plus a few improvements

By Sandra Gramley, AIA, LEED NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, principal at Platt/Whitelaw Architects, Inc. 

Restoration is underway on the Botanical Building in Balboa Park! If you’ve been following our news site, you know that we’ve written about this building before…and a time before that. But how can we not celebrate the kickoff of this historic restoration with a special article?

First, a review of the building’s history

The Botanical Building was originally built for the 1915-1916 Panama-California Exposition as part of an effort to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal and to spotlight San Diego’s port. Bertram Goodhue was hired as site planner and architect for the Panama-California Exposition.

During this time, Goodhue and his team created the Botanical Building, the Cabrillo Bridge, the California Bell Tower, Spreckels Organ Pavilion and the buildings now known as The Museum of Us and the Balboa Park Club. Except for the Bell Tower and the Balboa Park Club, these were the few structures that were meant to remain indefinitely.

The Botanical Building itself was designed by team member Carleton Winslow to serve as an anchor for a botanical garden. It was the largest wood lath structure in the world when it was built and remains one of the largest to this day.

Restoration needed

To remain indefinitely, a building needs some regular maintenance work. The Botanical Building has suffered from a lot of deferred maintenance and changes to the original structure, but the work underway will give it new life.

Thanks to the efforts of the Balboa Park Conservancy (now rebranded as Forever Balboa Park after a merger with Friends of Balboa Park) and government funding sources, the Botanical Building is receiving some TLC. The work will also address major termite damage, severe rust and those years of structural changes and deferred maintenance. Forever Balboa Park oversees the restoration project, along with the City of San Diego and the Parks and Recreation Department.

A team of RNT Architects, Spurlock Landscape Architects and Tres Fromme (horticultural designer) created architectural bridging documents for the restoration.

Now, our team, which includes EC Constructors, Platt/Whitelaw Architects, Michael Baker Intl, Estrada Land Planning, AB Court & Associates, Degenkolb, Turpin & Rattan Engineering, Recon, Meridian and Milford Wayne Donaldson, will work through construction to refine and implement the bridging documents’ vision.

What’s happening now

Can you imagine moving over 2,100 varieties of plants out of the Botanical Building? A handful of larger plants will stay through the construction, but the majority are now headed to the City of San Diego’s nursery for safe keeping.

In addition to working around the plants that must stay, our project team is figuring out ways to lower the soil level of the building’s planting beds, which has risen over time, without compromising the plants that have to remain in place. To do this, we’ll create planters within the planting beds, surrounding what would otherwise be exposed trunks and roots.

Our team will also restore this building to its original 1915 condition. In addition to some general sprucing up and structural repairs, the work includes reintroducing arched windows on the north and south sides of the structure to return the building to its original 1915 appearance. It will also include new restrooms, water- and energy-saving measures and improved visitor and educational engagement spaces.

A new public entry on the north side is also planned to provide better access for private events. Just outside the northeast corner of the building stands a Moreton Bay Fig tree that is over 100 years old. We’re adapting the design and construction methods to save this tree and accommodate its roots – some of which have grown into the building.

Right now, we’re putting final touches on the design. The construction trailer is in, plants are moving out and the team is looking forward to getting the permit to start construction. The building is closed, but visitors can still enjoy the koi pond out front and the surrounding lawn areas. Completion is expected for summer of 2023.

Our firm is honored to help restore one of San Diego’s most recognizable buildings, most serene spaces and most beloved destinations.

-the end-

The Creation & Restoration of Balboa Park

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Balboa Park’s origin story

Just outside downtown San Diego are 1,200 acres of land dedicated as park space by the City of San Diego. Known as Balboa Park, the space includes many natural and planted areas as well as buildings that represent some of San Diego’s most iconic architecture.

Central Park in New York City was the first large-park dedication by a U.S. city. In 1868, Balboa Park became the second.

It was actually in 1835, when the land was still part of Mexico, that authorities set aside 1,400 acres for public recreational use, most of which would eventually become Balboa Park. Once the land was ceded to the U.S., the City of San Diego’s Board of Trustees created a public park using this land.

Shaping the buildings

While the park was built in 1868, with multiple architects involved, most of its buildings sprung up later – because of two major events: the 1915-1916 Panama-California Exposition and the 1935-1936 California Pacific International Exposition, both hosted at Balboa Park. Today, Spanish colonial revival, mission revival and pueblo revival architectural styles dominate the park.

According to its Wikipedia page, “The park and its historic Exposition buildings were declared a National Historic Landmark and National Historic Landmark District in 1977, and placed on the National Register of Historic Places.”

Bertram Goodhue was hired as site planner and architect for the Panama-California Exposition which was to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal and to spotlight San Diego’s port. He and his associate Carleton Winslow combined several styles of architecture to create the Spanish Colonial Revival style used for designing the buildings in the park.

For landscape design Goodhue’s team also included Kate Sessions and Frank Lloyd Wright Jr.

During this time, Goodhue and his team created the Botanical Building, the Cabrillo Bridge, the California Bell Tower, Spreckels Organ Pavilion and the buildings now known as The Museum of Us and the Balboa Park Club.

Later, for the California Pacific International Exposition, which boosted the region after the Great Depression, San Diego architect Richard Requa led design and oversaw the addition of the Old Globe Theatre (later rebuilt after a fire), the International Cottages and the Spanish Village.

From temporary to permanent

Many of these iconic buildings survived repeated calls for their demolition, including from Goodhue himself.

Structures built for the Panama-California Exposition were not constructed with durable materials, because organizers expected they would not be necessary beyond 1916. After the City of San Diego determined that they could be restored for slightly more than the cost of demolition, restorations started thanks to private donations and funding from the federal government for the labor.

A similar effort to raze most of Balboa Park’s structures that surfaced after the California Pacific International Exposition was squashed again.

Restoration continues

The need for restoration remains an issue for many of Balboa Park’s buildings, including the Botanical Building.

Designed by Carleton Winslow, it was the largest wood lath structure in the world when it was built and remains one of the largest to this day.

Thanks to Alfred Robinson, the world’s leading begonia breeder of his day, the idea behind including the building in the park was to serve as an anchor for a botanical garden. The Botanical Building is now home to more than 2,100 plant varieties.

When originally built, it was one of only four Balboa Park structures that were meant to remain indefinitely (along with the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, the Museum of Us building and the Cabrillo Bridge).

Balboa Park Conservancy leads the charge

Remaining indefinitely, however, requires significant restoration, and San Diegans have the Balboa Park Conservancy (now rebranded as Forever Balboa Park after a merger with Friends of Balboa Park) and government funding sources to thank for efforts currently underway to restore the Botanical Building. The Conservancy made the building a priority and raised or secured all the funds for planning and design. Forever Balboa Park oversees the restoration project, along with the City of San Diego.

The team of RNT Architects, Spurlock Landscape Architects and Tres Fromme (horticultural designer) created architectural bridging documents for the restoration.

Now, our team, which includes EC Engineers, Platt/Whitelaw Architects, Michael Baker Intl, Estrada Land Planning, AB Court & Associates, Degenkolb, Turpin & Rattan Engineering, Recon, Meridian and Milford Wayne Donaldson, will work through construction to refine and implement the bridging documents’ vision. Construction will likely begin early next year.

The work will repair termite damage, deferred maintenance issues and more, in addition to returning the building to its original 1915 appearance. It will also include new restrooms, water- and energy-saving measures and improved visitor and educational engagement.

Our firm is honored to help restore one of San Diego’s most recognizable buildings, most serene spaces and most beloved destinations.

https://www.balboapark.org/

Photo by Leslie Yu on Unsplash