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The 2026 Design Awards Event

A view from above of a circular, multi-level courtyard with ornate railings, white columns, red tile floors, and a central fountain surrounded by greenery. Spiral staircases connect the different levels.We're celebrating 24 award winning projects, as well as the Trustee's Awards for Excellence and four President's Awards at the Mission Inn in downtown Riverside. This special celebration is followed by a ticketed reception with food and drinks. Purchase your tickets before they sell out!

Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument California Register Nomination

Owner / Client
Jose Gardea – City of Montebello Planning and Community Development Department

Owner / Client
Joseph Palombi – City of Montebello Planning and Community Development Department

Project Lead
Amanda Duane – GPA Consulting

Project Lead
Jenna Kachour – GPA Consulting

Project Lead
Audrey von Ahrens – GPA Consulting

 

Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument California Register Nomination

Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument California Register Nomination is a winner for the 2026 Preservation Design Award in the category of Cultural Heritage, Intangible Assets. 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 Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument California Register Nomination

The Monument and its subsequent California Register listing are both the result of community-led efforts. A small team of historic preservation consultants were retained to prepare the nomination for the City of Montebello on behalf of the Armenian American community.

The Monument was nominated under California Register Criterion1 as the first major public monument dedicated to the Armenian Genocide in the United States that led to broader recognition of the tragedy and influenced the construction of more memorials. It was also nominated under California Register Criterion 3 for its high artistic value as a modern, sculptural interpretation of traditional Armenian church architecture designed by Armenian architect and artist H. Hrant Agbabian and constructed by the Armenian-owned Bedrosian-Zakarian Construction Company.

The Monument was unanimously approved by the State Historical Resources Commission, further realizing the Armenian American community’s continuous efforts to honor the Monument and its historic and symbolic importance.

Read more about the Preservation Design Awards
A tall, white bell tower stands on a grassy hill surrounded by green trees under a partly cloudy sky, with a curved paved walkway leading toward the structure.
A tall, stone monument with four pillars stands on a grassy area under a cloudy sky. Wreaths are placed at its base, and trees and lampposts surround the structure.
A tall, white, four-columned war memorial stands on a stone platform surrounded by green grass, wreaths, and trees under a partly cloudy sky.
View from below of a circular structure with tall, white pillars radiating outward, converging at a central point against a partly cloudy sky.
A stone monument sits under a roof supported by tall, white columns on a tiled patio, surrounded by a stone wall, with green trees and a clear blue sky in the background.
A stone plaque with two metal nameplates: the top reads “H. Hrant Agbabian A.I.A. Architect 1968,” and the bottom reads “Bedrosian-Zakarian Construction Co. - General Contractors.”.
A bronze plaque labeled Armenian Martyrs Memorial is mounted on a light-colored pillar. Red roses are placed beside it. The sky above is cloudy, and trees and a light post are visible in the background.
A stone memorial tablet engraved with text honoring Armenian martyrs, mounted at an angle on a brick floor under a shaded pavilion with columns and a stone wall in the background.
A stone monument with decorative carvings and text, set at an angle on a tiled plaza surrounded by columns and greenery. Sunlight casts shadows on the ground.
A stone monument with decorative carvings and cursive text stands tilted at an angle between large columns on a tiled plaza, with trees and a stone wall in the background.

Community Importance

Between 1915 and 1921, approximately 2,000,000 Armenian Christians living under the Ottoman Empire were systematically decimated through mass execution, death marches, holding camps, and forced labor and assimilation. By 1922, there were fewer than 400,000 survivors and they were further displaced during WWII. Many were repatriated to Southern California, forming one of the largest Armenian populations outside of Armenia.

Historically, recognition of the atrocities carried out by the Ottoman Empire has been geo- and socio-politically complex, entwined with events leading to the establishment of present-day Turkey, broad association of the term ‘genocide’ with the Jewish Holocaust perpetrated by the Nazis during WWII, and international diplomatic relationships after WWII.

In the 1960s, second-generation Armenian Americans formed the Armenian Monument Committee to garner support for the first public Armenian Genocide memorial in the US , countering intense opposition from Turkish officials, the federal government, and outspoken residents.

The resulting Monument was the first of its size and scale in the US. Its success and visibility influenced broader recognition of the Armenian Genocide and construction of more public memorials throughout the nation. The beautiful sculptural edifice is a source of pride and continues to serve as an important site for cultural observances and events.

The Monument nomination received broad support from the Armenian American community, state and local government, and community advocacy organizations, including the City of Montebello, State Senate District 30, the California Armenian Legislative Caucus, the Armenian National Committee of America, and the Western Region of the Armenian Assembly of America.

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.