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.

Pool Project Team

Project Lead
Clarence Mamuyac – ELS Architecture and Urban Design/Kuth Ranieri Architects – JV

Project Lead
Byron Kuth – ELS Architecture and Urban Design/Kuth Ranieri Architects – JV

Owner/Client
Toks Ajike – San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department

Architect
Clarence Mamuyac – ELS Architecture and Urban Design

Architect
Byron Kuth – Kuth Ranieri Architects

General Contractor
Tony Cheung – CLW Construction

Structural Engineer
Nancy Tennebaum – Tennebaum-Manheim Engineers, Inc.

Structural Engineer
Daniel Mannheim – Tennebaum-Manheim Engineers, Inc.

Mechanical / Plumbing
Gary Hennings – H&M Mechanical Engineers, Inc.

Mechanical / Plumbing
Bikash Vaidya – Formerly with H&M Mechanical Engineers, Inc.

Electrical
Rosanna Lerma – EDesignC Incorporated

Aquatics Consultant
Greg Cannon – Aquatic Design Group, Inc.

Landscape Architect
Jeffrey Miller – Miller Company Landscape Architects

Waterproofing
Brian Kehoe – Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. 

Photography
Bruce Damonte – Bruce Damonte

Photography
Lawrence Anderson – Lawrence Anderson

Resource Principal
Elizabeth Ranieri – Kuth Ranieri Architects

Senior Project Manager
Susan Vutz – ELS Architect and Urban Design

Project Manager
Eliza Koshland – Kuth Ranieri Architects

Design Team Member
Ethen Wood – Formerly with Kuth Ranieri

Project Architect – For Pursuit
Michael McGroarty – Kuth Ranieri Architects

Energy Modeling
Gary Farber

LEED Consultant
Colleen FitzSimons – Urban Fabrick

Civil
Georgina Martinez – Telamon Engineering Consultants

Cost Estimating
Brad Saylor – Saylor Consulting Group

Specifications
Richard Fiory

Commissioning
Rick Unvarsky

Geotechnical Engineers
Rinaldi Wibowo – City of San Francisco Department of Public Works

Balboa Park Pool

Balboa Park Pool is a winner for the 2021 Preservation Design Award for Rehabilitation. 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/awards.

Read more about the Preservation Design Awards

About Balboa Park Pool

Balboa Park Pool is a municipal treasure serving one of San Francisco’s most populated neighborhoods for more than 60 years. Over time, normal wear and deferred maintenance took its toll. Chlorine corroded the building’s materials and the structure needed a seismic upgrade. This rehabilitation provided necessary safety improvements, enhanced the building’s social and recreational programming, and preserved its iconic 1958 International architectural style. Seismic improvements were designed to preserve the character-defining concrete structure and large glazed openings, with interior braced frames and concealed shear walls.  A new welcoming and accessible entry into the building provides a strong visual connection for the community, enhancing understanding and use of the building’s swim programs.  The team increased the pool’s programming capacity by reconfiguring locker rooms and administrative spaces, carving space for a new 800-square foot community room requested by constituents, accessible even when the natatorium is closed.

A modern glass building labeled Balboa Pool sits behind a curved ramp and fence. Children play outside on a grassy area. Text overlay notes the pool won a 2021 Preservation Design Award for Rehabilitation.
A modern building with large windows and an indoor swimming pool, beside a basketball court, sits on a grassy hill at dusk with houses and city lights on surrounding hills in the background.
Modern building with large glass windows displaying the words Balboa Pool; accessible ramp in front, landscaping, and blue sky above.
A modern building sits in a green park at night, surrounded by walking paths and trees, with a hillside cityscape and numerous lit houses in the background.
Aerial view of Balboa Pool, a modern building with glass walls, surrounded by green lawns, trees, parked cars, and nearby sports fields under a partly cloudy blue sky. Urban streets and houses appear in the background.
A modern building with large blue-tinted windows displays the word “BALBOA” partially visible. A person walks up a curved ramp, while another sits on a concrete bench near landscaped grounds and a striped black-and-white pavement.
A modern building with large glass windows and an angular metal canopy over a wide staircase. A person is walking up the steps, and landscaping with small plants lines the concrete walkway.
A modern building with angled steel beams and large windows overlooks a green lawn. Two people walk on the sidewalk, while another descends stairs near the entrance. Trees and a clear sky are in the background.
Indoor swimming pool with clear blue water, lane markers, and high ceilings with exposed beams. Large windows line the sides, letting in natural light. A colorful mural decorates the far wall, and a person walks along the poolside.
Indoor swimming pool with clear blue water, lane dividers, and large windows letting in natural light. Bright, colorful mural depicting swimmers and water activities decorates the wall at the end of the pool.
Featured Image Courtesy © 2019 Lawrence Anderson, All Rights Reserved