The San Francisco War Memorial Veterans complex—a stunning example of the City Beautiful movement that includes the Veterans Building, the Opera House, and the Memorial Court—was built in 1932 to honor veterans of World War I. The Beaux-Arts Veterans Building, designed by Arthur Brown, Jr., and the Opera House jointly hosted the signing of the United Nations Treaty (1945) and that of the Peace Treaty with Japan (1951).
The Veterans Building houses the War Memorial staff, the city’s Arts Commission, the Opera’s learning center and practice/performance node, the Green Room reception venue, and the 916-seat Herbst Theatre. It contributes to the San Francisco Civic Center National Historic District.
The Veterans Building. Kyle Jeffers Photography.
The steel-framed structure, clad in terra cotta, sustained severe damage in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The Carey & Co.–led team used a performance-based approach to design the seismic upgrades. Through nonlinear dynamic analysis, they created a system of “rocking concrete shear walls” that eliminated the need for deep foundations and greatly reduced the shear force imparted on the walls.
To allow the walls to rock but still transfer shear to the foundation, they designed an innovative “shear lug,” which allowed the base of each wall to resist lateral movement but permit uplift. They installed 250 of these shear lugs, constructed of steel pipes cast into the new walls and grouted into a greased sleeve in the existing foundation. Analyses showed that the system would restrict wall lift to about 0.5 inches at the ends under maximum considered earthquake shaking.
The 916-seat Herbst Theatre. Kyle Jeffers Photography.
The project team also carefully protected eight 25-foot-high murals in the Herbst Theatre that were originally designed by Sir Francis Brangwyn for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition.
Project Summary
Silver Award Winner
Building Team: Carey & Co., A TreanorHL Company (submitting firm, architect) San Francisco Public Works (AOR) Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SEOR, building enclosure/waterproofing engineer) SJ Engineers (ME, plumbing) Glumac Associates (EE) Charles Pankow Builders (GC).
Details: 230,000 sf. Total cost: $156.3 million. Construction time: July 2013 to January 2016. Delivery method: Design-bid-build.
See all of the 2017 Reconstruction Award winners here
Related Stories
Reconstruction Awards | Nov 11, 2019
Woolworth Tower Residences: What a view!
The one-time tallest building in the world is now home to an exclusive residential clientele.
Reconstruction Awards | Nov 8, 2019
2019 Reconstruction Awards: The 1060 Project at Wrigley Field
Venerable Wrigley Field is raised up in a top-to-bottom restoration that took five years to complete.
Reconstruction Awards | Nov 6, 2019
2019 Reconstruction Awards: Betting on a city's future
Can a new resort and casino pump life into a city once renowned as the nation’s arms maker?
Reconstruction Awards | Dec 4, 2018
BD+C's 2018 Reconstruction Award Winners
Cincinnati Music Hall, MASS MoCA Building 6, and 20 Times Square are just a few of the projects recognized as 2018 Reconstruction Award winners.
Reconstruction Awards | Dec 3, 2018
2018 Reconstruction Awards: Honorable mentions
These four projects won honorable mentions in BD+C's 2018 Reconstruction Awards.
Reconstruction Awards | Dec 3, 2018
Elgin Tower: Elgin's heart beats again
A project team brings this Chicago suburb’s landmark tower back to life.
Reconstruction Awards | Nov 30, 2018
Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company Building: GC to the rescue
Hawaii’s largest contractor saves one of the state’s prized architectural landmarks—and now calls it home.
Reconstruction Awards | Nov 30, 2018
5 Beekman Hotel and Residences: Back in business
A landmark office tower becomes one of N.Y.’s hottest lifestyle hotel destinations.
Reconstruction Awards | Nov 29, 2018
700 Constitution: Healthy living
Hospital turned apartment brings luxury living to a D.C. neighborhood – and saves a valued piece of architecture.
Reconstruction Awards | Nov 28, 2018
IBEW Local 134 Union Hall: Union lights a 'beacon'
Electrical workers’ local converts an abandoned Chicago school into a brightly lit union hall.