All photos courtesy Roger Showley except where noted otherwise.
Photo by Sandé Lollis
Photo by Sandé Lollis
IF YOU HAVE BEEN TO BALBOA PARK RECENTLY, you may have noticed that the San Diego Automotive Museum, located on the recently renovated Palisades Plaza, has some new additions to its facade. This historic structure now features four large tile murals above its entrance, depicting imagery of California's commerce, scenic beauty, agriculture, and industry. These murals originally appeared on the California State Building for the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition, where they were designed to appear like tile but were actually painted on fiberboard.
Several challenges faced the Committee of One Hundred, a nonprofit group devoted to protecting and restoring the Spanish Revival buildings and features of the park. While original drawings existed for the building, the artistic details were not available for the murals, and only black-and-white images were available for reference. C100 board member and citizen architect Robert Thiele took the lead in developing general conceptual plans and oversaw every detail of the project for over six years.
RTK Studios in Ojai, California reproduced the ceramic tiles. The owners, husband and wife Richard Keit and Mary Kennedy, spent an estimated 3,000 hours over two years researching and creating line art for 576, 12-inch-square tiles for the 8x18-foot murals.
Maya-inspired ornamentation on the building's parapet and lower level were reproduced. The new panels were made of glass-fiber reinforced concrete for durability.
In addition to the tile murals and reproduction of the facade ornamentation, paint using a historic color palette was chosen.
This restoration represents a prominent upgrade to the historic Palisades area and the recreation of a monumental piece of public art. The pedestrian space in front of it has been reclaimed as well, replacing an unsightly parking lot. This commitment to authenticity and historic preservation is typical of the Committee of One Hundred's improvements to the park.
Now, beautifully presented public art embraces the artistry of the building's architectural and colorful past and serves as a reminder of San Diego's diverse natural and economic resources.
SOHO is proud to present the Committee of One Hundred and all associated project team members with the Gift to the People Award for an outstanding collaborative public park project.
(Left to right) Mike Kelly, Shane Liberty, Michael Matson, Roger Showley, Kevin Carpenter, Lynn Silva, Robert Thiele. Photo by Sandé Lollis
