Everyone knows awards season is actually year-round, of course, so it's no big surprise that it's time for this year's Orchids & Onions architecture and design awards, the annual event when San Diego County's pre-eminent urban planners, engineers and draft-board types trot out their favorite -- and least favorite -- new local developments.
The fine folks running the awards put it this way: "Orchids & Onions is an educational and fundraising program of the San Diego Architectural Foundation, a 501(c)3, nonprofit organization with a mission to educate and promote outstanding architecture, landscape, interior and urban design to improve the quality of life for all San Diegans," a news release connected to this year's awards states.
Sure, that and occasionally throwing some high-end shade.
The winner of 2020's Malone Grand Orchid was the Center for Novel Therapeutics, in La Jolla: "This is structurally fascinating. Elegant and engaging. The use of materials is incredible. Innovative design, also encouraging innovation within. High-performance all around — generous, well-lit common areas, patient-centered design. Very well detailed."
This year's Grand Onion went to the apartment building at 1836 Columbia St., in Little Italy. The judges didn't mince words: "It has absolutely no redeeming value whatsoever. The way it touches the ground is so bad it can’t even be fixed. Looks like a bubble diagram that skipped the architecture/design part and went directly to construction."
For the first time, Orchids & Onions handed out a Teen Choice award Orchid, which also went to the Center for Novel Therapeutics. And it was a grand slam for the Teen Onion, which went 1836 Columbia St. as well.
In addition, organizers were set to reveal the first-ever People's Choice Awards on Thursday night, which will be announced at the virtual gala that kicked off at 9 p.m.
Local
Check out a gallery of 2020 Orchids and Onions below:
Photos: 2020 Orchids & Onions Highlight San Diego's Best, Worst Architecture and Design
Here's a complete list of the 2020 Orchids & Onions:
Malone Grand Orchid
9310 Athena Circle, La Jolla
Owner/developer: BioMed Realty
Architect/designer: Perkins & Will
“This is structurally fascinating. Elegant and engaging. The use of materials is incredible. Innovative design, also encouraging innovation within. High-performance all around — generous, well-lit common areas, patient-centered design. Very well detailed.”
Grand Onion
Apartments at 1836 Columbia Street
1836 Columbia St., San Diego
Owner/developer: Steve Parikh
Architect/designer: DESS Partners
"It has absolutely no redeeming value whatsoever. The way it touches the ground is so bad it can’t even be fixed. Looks like a bubble diagram that skipped the architecture/design part and went directly to construction.”
Architecture – Orchid
Mesa College Fine Arts Building
7250 Mesa College Drive -FA103
San Diego
Owner/developer: San Diego Community College District
Architect/designer: Hanna Gabriel Wells
“This is the direction a lot of architecture needs to go in terms of saving our resources. All the time, money and C02 that was expended in this concrete structure is now saved and reused for another 20 or 30 years.”
Architecture – Orchid
8999 Biolegend Way, San Diego
Owner/developer: BioLegend, Inc.
Architect/designer: Delawie
“Great transformation from a tilt-up industrial campus.”
Architecture – Orchid
Chula Vista Fire Station No. 10 at Millenia
1715 Millenia Ave., Chula Vista
Owner/developer: City of Chula Vista / SLF IV - Millenia, LLC
Architect/designer: Jeff Katz Architecture
“Elegant and functional. I love that they are not scared of color! Perfect for the community. It does what a good civic project should do.”
Architecture – Orchid
East County Assessor, Recorder, County Clerk (ARCC) and Archive
10144 Mission Gorge Road, Santee
Owner/developer: County of San Diego
Architect/designer: The Miller Hull Partnership
“An incredible, sustainable and thoughtful project that will stand beautifully the passage of time. It is impressive how much they could do with limited financial resources. We need more outstanding civic buildings like this!”
Architecture – Orchid
2305 University Ave., San Diego
Owner/developer: Jeff Svitak
Architect/designer: Jeff Svitak
“All around exceptional housing solution. We need to raise the bar by celebrating projects like this. Smart, well crafted, outdoor oriented, and design-inspiring space. It makes you want to be there.”
Architecture – Onion
2020 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego
Owner/developer: HG Fenton
Architect/designer: Architects Orange + Foundation For Form
“It really should have had quite a bit of editing. Please spend a little more time thinking through the impact it has on the community. It could have been more welcoming along the sidewalk - the dentist office and storefront facades are very lackluster.”
Architecture – Onion
Hampton Inn and Suites San Diego Airport Liberty Station and Townplace Suites by Marriott
2211 Lee Court, San Diego
Owner/developer: InnerMountain Management and the Corkey McMillin Companies
Architect/designer: Degan & Degan Architecture and Interior Design
“If not offensive, it’s at least passive aggressive. Missed opportunity along the waterfront. The sea of cars and choice of materials and color feel more appropriate for a self-storage development than a fine hotel in sunny San Diego.”
Architecture – Onion
2466 1st Ave., San Diego
Owner/designer: JANCO Development
Architect/designer: H2 Architects
“There's a huge missed opportunity for a project like this to contribute to the neighborhood and the community it's sitting in. I think the lack of façade elements, missing rooftop screens and scant landscaping make this one look like an example of very bad value engineering.”
Historic Preservation – Orchid
500 West Broadway, San Diego
Owner/developer: Oram Hotels
Architect/designer: PGAL+ Sormeh Rienne
“This is the building that had the human touch to it. It didn’t scream at me. It has a small scale and is very well composed.”
Historic Preservation – Orchid
Laundry Building at the Hotel Del Coronado
1500 Orange Ave., Coronado
Owner/developer: BRE Hotels and Resorts
Architect/designer: obrARCHITECTURE
“I love how they saved the clothes rack. What I appreciate about the interiors is that they’ve done a lot to make sure they’ve treated it so you really understand what the bones of that space are. I agree that there’s a lot going on there, but it also feels temporary to me and flexible.”
Historic Preservation – Onion
Chula Vista Library South Branch
389 Orange Ave., Chula Vista
Owner/developer: City of Chula Vista
Architect/designer: No Architect Involved
“It’s the COVID mask in front of this building. They took the easiest way out in terms of executing this. It could have been done much better. This is a jewel of architecture in Chula Vista from a renowned Mexican architect. It’s a slap in the face.”
Interiors – Orchid
Broadstone Makers Quarter Common Areas
1601 Broadway, San Diego
Owner/developer: Broadstone
Architect/designer: Paul Basile, BASILE Studio
“It has a dark perspective, parts of it, but I really do like the level of detail in it.”
Interiors – Orchid
3115 Ocean Front Walk, San Diego
Owner/developer: Pacifica Real Estate Services
Architect/designer: Jules Wilson Design Studio
“They did something kind of magical because a space like this typically feels sterile, and this doesn’t. It’s just great.”
Interiors – Orchid
2305 University Ave, San Diego
Owner/developer: Jeff Svitak
Architect/designer: Jeff Svitak
“This is somebody who is creating an interior environment for a use, extremely thoughtful and detailed.”
Landscape Architecture – Orchid
7960 Civita Blvd., San Diego
Owner/developer: Sudberry Properties
Architect/designer: Schmidt Design Group
“I like the thoughtful integration of history, natural elements in the playground and educational signs. I really appreciate that there is a place for everyone in this park and that it celebrates the out of doors in Mission Valley.”
Landscape Architecture – Orchid
Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center
9455 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., San Diego
Owner/developer: Kaiser Permanente
Architect/designer: Spurlock Landscape Architects
“Kaiser should be commended for providing this much site area to the public for a wonderful wellness garden.”
Landscape Architecture – Orchid
UCSD Tata Hall for the Sciences
UCSD Revelle College Neighborhood, San Diego
Owner/developer: UCSD
Architect/designer: Spurlock Landscape Architects
“I think this is a very sophisticated project.”
Miscellaneous – Onion
Campland by the Bay Lease Extension
2211 Pacific Beach Drive, San Diego
Owner/developer: City of San Diego
“(An Onion) will be a nice present for the birds. This has to be stopped and this preserve has to be saved. Any solution here deserves way more thought and its ecology should be taken into consideration.”
Urban Planning – Orchid
UCSD Mesa Housing Pedestrian Bridge
Miramar Street, La Jolla
Owner/developer: UCSD
Architect/designer: Studio E Architects
“Walkability is important to honor. An elegant project.”
NEW CATEGORY: TEEN VOTE
Teen Orchid
9310 Athena Circle, La Jolla
Owner/developer: BioMed Realty
Architect/designer: Perkins & Will
Teen Onion
Apartments at 1836 Columbia Street
1836 Columbia Street, San Diego
Owner/developer: Steve Parikh
Architect/designer: DESS Partners
