Legacy: Guardian Advocate Distinction

Erik Hanson is a standout in the local preservation world with his command of many specialties, disciplines, and skills. He is being lauded for his singular dedication to historic preservation, education, activism, and advocacy in all forms. He comes by his advocacy chops honestly, as his father was an early Citizens Coordinate for Century 3 board member. His pioneering studies, analysis, and passion for the architecture and life of San Diego architect Irving Gill continue to support this innovative architect’s ascendance to Modernism’s pantheon locally, statewide, and nationally. To identify and document Gill’s early Modernist designs in San Diego County at a time when the architect and his work were almost forgotten, he has sleuthed creatively and persistently and scoured written records. He later handcrafted exact reproductions of the architect’s rare, geometric wooden furniture. Since the 1980s, as a volunteer and long-time SOHO board member, he freely shares his knowledge and discoveries with members, colleagues, and the public. He has also consulted on exhibit design and interpretation, as well as contributing essays to catalogues that document shows. He organized and curated an exhibit on Gill’s architecture for the Oceanside Art Museum, which occupies and is surrounded by civic buildings Gill designed. Having closely examined historic architecture by a host of prominent San Diego architects, he is an expert on historic building materials. Behind the scenes, he also plays a vital role in preserving and archiving SOHO’s own history. A historic homeowner with his wife and past SOHO board member Ingrid Helton in San Diego’s South Park Historic District, Erik Hanson’s preservation legacy looms large.

Irving Gill-designed La Jolla Woman’s Club

Irving Gill’s First Church of Christ, Scientist, 1910. Photo courtesy Google street view

Cobblestone stairs that lead to the Golden Hill Fountain Grotto. All photos by Sandé Lollis except where otherwise noted

PAST PEOPLE IN PRESERVATION AWARD WINNERS