UC Berkeley Substation 8

UC Berkeley Substation 8 is a winner for the 2026 Preservation Design Award in the category of Restoration. Award recipients are selected by a jury of top professionals in the fields of architecture, engineering, planning, and history, as well as renowned architecture critics and journalists. Tickets and sponsorship options are available at californiapreservation.org/programs/awards/.

About UC Berkeley Substation 8

UC Berkeley Substation 8, the long-abandoned original 1904 campus powerhouse, was repurposed as the hub of the Campus Electrification Clean Energy Initiative to reach 100% renewable energy by 2030. Originally designed by Architect John Galen Howard, it is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, and the rehabilitation conformed to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards. Included was complete restoration of the exterior brick masonry, clay tile roof, historic skylights at the roof monitor and a full seismic upgrade with interior steel-reinforced shotcrete walls throughout and a new horizontal truss at the roof level. The clerestory window operators were restored to full function. As part of this project, the restored historic WPA era mosaic tile murals at the east facade were protected in place and restored. Persistent subgrade water penetration of the basement for over 100 years was mitigated by adding a crystalline waterproofing additive to new interior shotcrete.

Community Importance

After becoming undersized and obsolete for its original intended purpose as a powerhouse with oil-fired boilers, the building became an art gallery for several decades (1934-1970) but was ultimately abandoned except for use as storage due to leaks and deterioration. During its time as an art gallery, the WPA installed two Byzantine-style mosaic murals that allude to different art forms including music, sculpture, and dance. The mosaics were constructed with an assortment of different type of tiles, including regular small tiles and pieces of glazed and un-glazed ceramic tiles. The building was red tagged as a seismic collapse risk, but after an extensive feasibility assessment, UC Berkeley decided to move forward with a project that would restore and rehabilitate the historic building, returning to its original use as a power hub. The project promotes sustainability because it avoids demolishing an existing structure with embodied carbon, and it has now come full circle as a key component for a campus destined for a clean energy future. The project demonstrates how adaptive reuse can align sustainability, preservation, and infrastructure planning into a single, forward-looking solution. The east plaza also becomes a pleasant place to hang out while enjoying the mosaics. Decorative lighting was introduced to the east facade to illuminate the tile murals in the evening.

About CPF and the Awards

Held in conjunction with CPF’s 2026 Annual Conference in Riverside, the 2026 Mission Inn Preservation Design Awards Ceremony and Reception will spotlight excellence in historic preservation in a setting that reflects the very spirit of the work being honored. This special evening brings together award recipients, conference participants, preservation leaders, and supporters from across California to celebrate outstanding preservation projects and leadership through the Preservation Design Awards and President’s Awards.

Founded in 1978, the California Preservation Foundation (CPF) is California’s statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of historic places and cultural heritage. Through education, advocacy, and community-centered programs, CPF supports the people, projects, and policies that keep California’s historic resources vital and valued. We now support a national network of more than 36,000 members and supporters. Click here to learn how you can become a member.