Gregory Bateson Building

Gregory Bateson Building is a winner for the 2026 Preservation Design Award in the category of 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/programs/awards/.

About Gregory Bateson Building

Originally constructed in 1981 under California State Architect Sim van der Ryn, Gregory Bateson Building was a pioneer in sustainable design, featuring passive cooling and low-energy strategies. Over 40 years later, the California Department of General Services completed a transformative renovation through progressive design-build delivery, modernizing the building’s performance while preserving its historic character.

The exterior façade work addressed long standing water infiltration issues through meticulous reconstruction matching the original design. Inside, the entire building’s infrastructure was overhauled. The soaring atrium remains, providing occupants with daylight and views as well as the meeting, gathering and community space that the original designers envisioned.

While the building’s historic character was carefully preserved, its workspaces were reimagined to support modern work styles and wellness, featuring collaborative and flexible meeting areas, and original outdoor spaces. On track for LEED Platinum and net-zero energy certifications, the building continues its legacy as the leading edge of sustainable, human-centered design.

Community Importance

Reviving the Bateson Building serves the community of the State, City of Sacramento, and DGS workforce. Reinvigorating this State asset reinforces California’s leadership in resisting climate change, revitalizes its location in downtown Sacramento, and offers a healthier, more useful workplace environment.

When it was conceived, a primary objective of the new building was to create a State office building as model of energy efficiency. The building’s renovation continues that legacy. Its original design incorporated groundbreaking features, and the recent updates continue to ensure a more sustainable future.

Environmental sustainability is at the forefront of this project, but so is human sustainability. Another objective of the State’s plan with the Bateson Building was to reduce the apparent scale of State office buildings and thereby create more user-oriented environments. The building’s design encouraged workers to, for instance, use the building’s prominent main stairs and walk the circulation walkways, enjoying the convivial nature of the building’s interior features.

The Bateson Building primarily houses various departments that were not accommodated in the adjacent new California Natural Resources Agency headquarters tower. The interior spaces have been designed to provide a 21st century collaborative working environment with various types of gathering spaces and workstations for remote or hybrid staff. The extensive interior modernization also incorporates such features as lactation rooms, spacious break rooms, inviting lounges and collaborative coffee areas, in an effort to prioritize wellness, furthering the Agency’s, Building’s and California’s original mission of innovation, sustainability and well-being.

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.