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.

South Pasadena Design Guidelines for ADU Team

Project Lead– Evanne St. Charles, Architectural Resources Group

Owner / Client – Matt Chang, City of South Pasadena

Report Authors – Evanne St. Charles, Grace Davis, Katie Horak, Architectural Resources Group 

South Pasadena Design Guidelines for ADUs on Historic Properties

The South Pasadena Design Guidelines ADUs on historic properties have won a 2022 Preservation Design Award for Cultural Resources Studies and Reports. 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
Map of South Pasadena showing designated historic landmarks, historic districts, and eligible districts for ADU development. Icons mark property locations, with a legend and title at the bottom. California Preservation Foundation logo in top right.
A small, modern white building with large windows and a central glass door, surrounded by green plants and a young tree in the foreground.
A line drawing of a building with double French doors in the center, framed by a simple rectangular structure with a flat roof and curved edges. A plant with leafy branches appears on the left side.
A green cottage-style guesthouse with dormer windows sits beside a swimming pool. There are potted plants, lounge chairs, and a staircase leading to an upper door. Trees and clear skies are in the background.
A simple map shows three houses on green lots, outlined by red dashed lines. Two small yellow squares are placed in the yards, one near the street and the other behind the rightmost house. A road runs along the bottom.
A row of classic Craftsman-style bungalows with covered porches and lush green lawns sits along a quiet, shaded residential street.

About the South Pasadena ADU Project

The project entailed preparing design guidelines for the construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on historic properties in the City of South Pasadena. The design guidelines are intended to help streamline the review process for ADU construction on historic properties.

The purpose of the South Pasadena Design Guidelines for ADU Development on Historic Properties is to preserve the historic and architectural character of the city by providing historic preservation guidance and resources for property owners and design professionals planning an ADU on a historic property or in a historic district.

The Design Guidelines are based on the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and are intended to complement the ADUs Design Standards for Historic Properties in the South Pasadena ADU Ordinance (South Pasadena Municipal Code Chapter 36, Article 3, Section 36.350.200). The Design Guidelines serve as a planning tool for projects involving individual properties and districts listed in the City’s Inventory of Cultural Resources.

This project was made possible through State Certified Local Government (CLG) grant funding from the California Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) and National Parks Service (NPS).