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.

UCSF Toland Hall Mural Removal Team

Project Lead – Jennifer Correia, ARG Conservation Services

Owner/Client – Scott Muxen, University of California San Francisco

Historic Architect – Lisa Yergovich, Architectural Resources Group

Lead Engineer – Eugene Tuan, Tuan and Robinson Structural Engineers

Specialty Sub-Contractor(s)

– Juan Navarro, Performance Abatement Services

 – Rudy Mojica, Pacific Masonry Restoration

 – Steve Baldassarre, BrandSafway

 – Richard Battaini, Sheedy Drayage

Additional Participant(s)

– Elisabetta Covizzi Perfetti, EC2 Art Conservation

 – Rowan Geiger, Preservation Arts

 – Bryan Cain, Atthowe Fine Art Services

 – Reza Yasdi, Vibro/Dynamics

UCSF Toland Hall Mural Removal

The Toland Hall Mural Removal Project of San Francisco is a winner for the 2022 Preservation Design Award for Craftsmanship/Preservation Technology. 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
A colorful mural depicts scientists in lab coats conducting experiments, medical textbooks, a parrot, various lab animals, anatomical drawings, and research equipment; a wall clock shows 2:20 in the lower left corner.
A colorful mural depicts a busy historical scene with diverse men and women interacting, reading, arguing, and engaging in various activities in front of a Recorders Office sign, painted on a curved wall above red carpeted flooring.
A person stands on a small stage in front of a partially uncovered mural, using a work light. Ladders, tools, and protective coverings are scattered around the red-carpeted room, where another mural is covered by a white sheet.
Two people stand on a red platform, working to restore a large mural similar to The Last Supper. They use ladders and lights, with scaffolding and restoration equipment visible in the ornate room.
A person stands on a ladder painting or restoring a large mural on a curved wall in a room with red carpet. Art supplies, chairs, and equipment are scattered around, and the area is brightly lit by lamps.
A person wearing protective gear and a welding helmet is welding metal beams on a construction structure against a clear blue sky. Sparks are visible at the point of contact.
Two people work to remove a colorful mural from a wall. The mural shows medical themes and figures. Tools and equipment are scattered around, with a sign reading UCSF Toland Hall Mural Removal in the foreground.

About the UCSF Toland Hall Mural Removal

An expert, multi-disciplinary team of specialty contractors, art movers, rigging specialists, engineers, and preservation professionals designed and implemented a plan to extricate the twelve delicate WPA-era fresco murals collectively titled, “History of Medicine in California” from USCF Toland Hall.

This design-build project consisted of three phases: design, permitting and conservation, and construction/mural relocation.

The primary goal of the design phase was to develop a comprehensive mural treatment and design/engineer a framed support system for deinstallation and relocation. The conservation team began stabilization treatments of the murals following submittal of the treatment plan.

Transitioning from design to construction, additional scope was added to the project, including selective demolition of two skylight bays in Toland Hall and installation of structural support for the new opening. Additional subcontractors were added to the team to address hazardous materials, demolition, and access. Temporary mural protection was installed prior to starting construction tasks in July 2021.

Due to the use of a crane and the very hilly terrain around UCSF, a vibration specialist was added to team during the construction phase to analyze transportation risks so that the team could finalize relocation plans. The twelve murals were carefully cut out from the walls and custom-designed support systems were built around each mural. Safely supported by their engineered frames, the murals were then removed by crane through the demolished skylights;intact;and relocated to the storage facility in two moves, in November and December 2021.

Featured Image Courtesy ARG Conservation Services, Inc.