Award of Merit, Renovation/Restoration: UC Berkeley's Hearst Greek Theatre
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this landmark outdoor theater required a seismically sound renovation and expansion without compromising its historic facade. The $5.26-million project broke ground in November 2011 and was completed in May 2012.
The 1903 John Galen Howard-designed amphitheater included the stage, colonnade and the seating bowl. The 1957 Ernest Born addition added a basement backstage area—whose excavation compromised the theater's seismic integrity—with a large plaza flanked by two stage-level portions.