THE HISTORIC RESTORATION of Balboa Park’s Botanical Building, one of San Diego’s best known structures, is a stellar example of thoughtful, research-based preservation work.
Built for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition and designed by San Diego architect Carleton Winslow under the direction of exposition architect Bertram Goodhue, the Botanical Building has stood for over a century as a thriving symbol of San Diego’s horticultural and architectural legacy. Constructed of redwood and steel, it was, at the time of completion, the largest lath structure in the world. Today, the building remains a crown jewel of the park and one of only four permanent structures surviving from the 1915 exposition.
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Left to right Sandra Gramely, architect, Platt/Whitelaw; Katy McDonald, president and CEO, Forever Balboa Park |
The work was a monumental undertaking that reversed decades of deterioration and unsympathetic modifications. Water damage, invasive repairs and renovations from the 1950s and 1990s, and loss of original architectural details had compromised the structure's integrity and appearance.
Guided by the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, the restoration reinstated key character-defining elements, such as accurate windows, the east and west facades, and interior redwood tongue-and-groove siding. A painstaking structural rehabilitation involved more than 1,200 individual steel repairs, including the complete rebuilding of truss bases and the replacement of damaged redwood lath. Its 2,000-pound copper steeple and dome cupola was fabricated to match the original 1915 design.
The project was a three-year, $28.5 million investment. Funds were raised through the great efforts of Forever Balboa Park with special acknowledgment to Jacqueline Higgins. While phase one focused on the building itself—including structural stabilization, historically accurate windows and arcades, and modern accessibility features—phase two will turn to the surrounding gardens, ensuring the entire site flourishes as an immersive public experience.
Plant preservation and safety was also prioritized by lowering decades of raised soil levels while leaving sensitive vegetation undisturbed. To preserve the 100-plus-year-old Moreton Bay Fig at the building's northeast corner, the team adapted construction and design methods to safeguard this massive tree, whose roots had reached into the building.
The Botanical Building is once again open to the public, welcoming both locals and international visitors to explore its rich botanical collections of more than 2,100 plant species and to enjoy a renewed educational and cultural resource. Its connection to the adjacent historic lily pond and El Prado makes it an aesthetic and experiential cornerstone of Balboa Park.
IMPORTANTLY, THIS RESTORATION also serves as a compelling model for future preservation projects. It underscores how public-private partnerships, informed scholarship, adaptive strategies, and respect for original materials can converge to produce exceptional results. The team confronted substantial technical and structural challenges but turned them into opportunities for rediscovery and authenticity.
SOHO congratulates Platt/Whitelaw Architects, Inc., EC Constructors, Inc., and Forever Balboa Park in recognition of this extraordinary project, which stands out for its architectural fidelity, historic integrity, and enduring public impact.
Architect/Designer Teams
Architect of Record: Platt/Whitelaw Architects | Landscape Architect: Estrada Land Planning | Historic Architect: Milford Wayne Donaldson, FAIA
Horticulturalist: Waterwise Gardener | Bridging Documents Architect: RNT Architects | Bridging Documents Landscape Architect: Spurlock
Landscape Architects
Forever Balboa Park - Board of Directors | Project lead and coordinator: Jacqueline Higgins
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