AIA Bestows Historic Preservation and Innovation in Rehabilitation Honor Award on Nadel Architects

June 22, 2010 - PRLog -- SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.—The American Institute of Architects San Francisco Chapter (AIA) recognized Nadel Architects with the Historic Preservation and Innovation in Rehabilitation HONOR Award for the company’s revitalization design work on The Richmond Civic Center. This is a new category introduced at the 2010 AIA San Francisco Design Awards and the first time this award has ever been presented.

“The scope of the design is arguably the most significant historic rehabilitation of any civic project in California in decades,” said Michael Walden, design director, Nadel Architects.  “The revitalization has significantly restored the central business district by bringing critical city administrative functions back to downtown Richmond and introducing sustainable components to the center. The historical master plan along with its campus of buildings, first conceived by architects Richard Neutra and R.M. Schindler in 1949, then later designed and completed by San Francisco’s most famous civic architect, Timothy L. Pflueger, were well preserved.”

The revitalization of Richmond Civic Center included restorations to the Civic Auditorium, 440 Civic Center Plaza and City Hall –the latter two buildings have both achieved LEED Gold certification. The third building is pending Platinum certification. All three buildings suffered severe damage in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Major sustainable elements of the project included seismic upgrades, bioswales, secured bicycle spaces, drought-resistant landscaping, heat island reduction, low-flow plumbing, energy-efficient high performance heating and cooling systems, photovoltaics, low-emitting materials and controlled lighting.

Large portions of the existing walls, floors and ceilings were reused to preserve much of the original structure. Both the site and the many new elements added to the campus, such as a glass-roofed colonnade, also incorporated the cubic, linear and transparent forms that are consistent with the mid-century modernist architecture found in the original design. Nadel designed for state-of-the-art audio and video capabilities, as well as data and power provisions within the 80,000 square feet of added space for city, staff and council members. Final completion of the Richmond Civic Center was right on schedule in May 2009 and within the development budget of $89 million.  

The 2010 AIA San Francisco Design Awards which aims to recognize outstanding design contributions in the Bay Area was held at the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center and hosted by board president, Bill Roger and Sarah Lynch, editor in chief, California Home + Design. All winning projects will be on display at the Architecture and the City Festival, which will be held at 3A Gallery in Francisco this September.

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Nadel Architects offers comprehensive services ranging from architectural design, master planning and feasibility studies to complete interior design, planning and programming. Nadel is ranked among the largest architectural firms in the world (#42 per Building Design + Construction, July 2009). The company has completed more than 600 office buildings, 80,000 residential units, 30 million square feet of retail space, numerous hotels and resorts, and a variety of public and educational institutions, which have received more than 75 awards for design excellence. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Nadel has offices in Costa Mesa, San Diego and Sacramento, Calif., Las Vegas and Phoenix. For more information, please visit www.nadelarc.com.