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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!

Los Angeles Union Station South Patio

Owner/Client
Stephen Morrer – Pacific Repertory Theatre

Lead & Historic Architect
Grace Davis – Architectural Resources Group

Historic Architect
Richard McCann – RF McCann & Company Architects

Architect/Landscape
Grace Davis – Architectural Resources Group

Architect/Landscape
Jamie Garza – The Design Collaborative

Project Lead
Elton Murakami – Charles Pankow Builders

Project Lead
Kris Talisse – Morlin Management

Historic Preservation Consultant
Evanne St. Charles – Architectural Resources Group

Lead Engineer
Jamie Garza – The Design Collaborative

Lead Engineer (Structural)
Brendan Ramos – Structural Focus

Consulting Engineer (Civil Engineer)
John Kelly – Wheeler & Gray Consulting Engineers

Consulting Engineer
Judd Jelincic – Alfatech

Plumbing Engineer
Brian Chase – Muir-Chase Plumbing

Designer
Jordan Paing – Architectural Resources Group

Contractor
Colin Fisher – Charles Pankow Builders

Contractor
Allan Wallis – Charles Pankow Builders, Ltd.

Masonry Contractor
Brian Smith – Frank S. Smith Masonry

Waterproofing Consultant
Szymon Zienkiewicz – Larsen Zienkiewicz, Inc.

Specialty Sub-Contractor(s)
Evan Wilson – Le Grande Studios Inc

Additional Participant(s)
David Alaga – AirTec Service

Scott Shelton – SEED Santa Cruz Inc.

Los Angeles Union Station South Patio

Los Angeles Union Station South Patio is a winner for the 2026 Preservation Design Award in the category of 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/programs/awards/.

About Los Angeles Union Station South Patio

For over a decade, Union Station has faced chronic water-related issues – broken drainage lines, settlement, ponding, flooding, and interior intrusion – that threaten both its integrity and daily operations. Building on lessons learned from a successful North Patio pilot project, the Station advanced a comprehensive restoration of the South Patio to resolve these persistent challenges.

The project addressed water management, accessibility, safety, and landscaping in a coordinated effort. Excavation extended 15 feet below grade to install new surface-applied waterproofing at basement walls, replace failing cast-iron drainage lines with PVC, and introduce new catch basins and cleanouts. Original brick pavers and patterns were meticulously documented, salvaged, and re-laid atop a new concrete sub-slab, while all impacted landscaping was replaced to restore the original landscape scheme.

This restoration ensures the South Patio once again functions as a safe, welcoming, and resilient public space; respectful of history, and prepared to serve future generations.

Read more about the Preservation Design Awards
Brick walkway at Los Angeles Union Station South Patio, lined with trees and modern yellow light fixtures, with the station’s clock tower visible in the background. Text highlights a restoration award.
A courtyard with red brick pathways, palm trees, green shrubs, a blue bench, and white columns. A building with a clock tower and arched entrance is in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
A person walks down a brick pathway through a garden, framed by a large archway. The scene features green trees, shrubby plants, and a partly cloudy sky in the background.
A wide brick pathway lined with greenery and trees leads to an arched entrance of a cream-colored building with a clock tower, under a partly cloudy sky at dusk.
A wide brick courtyard with patterned tile, flanked by trees and trimmed bushes, leads to an arched entrance of a white building with a central clock tower, set against a cloudy sky.
A wide brick walkway lined with trimmed greenery and trees leads to an arched entrance of a white building with a central tower under a partly cloudy sky. Subtle ground lights illuminate the scene.
A large leafy tree stands in a brick courtyard with a green bench, trimmed hedges, and decorative columns; a clock tower building is visible in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
A courtyard with red brick flooring, green benches, and olive trees, featuring a white clock tower with arched walkways and palm trees, under a partly cloudy sky.
A brick pathway lined with green trees leads to a white tower with a blue clock face. Two modern sculptural light fixtures stand on pillars at the entrance. The sky above is partly cloudy.
A brick walkway lined with two modern light fixtures leads through a manicured garden with tall green trees; a white clock tower is visible in the background under a cloudy sky.
A brick walkway lined with trimmed hedges leads to a white building with a tower, flanked by modern yellow-lit lamps on white pillars and shaded by large trees under a partly cloudy sky.
A well-lit courtyard with tall palm trees, brick pathways, green benches, and a large white clock tower in the background under a dramatic evening sky.
A brick pathway lined with trees and a green bench leads to a lit clock tower at night, surrounded by lush gardens and palm trees.
A courtyard with red brick flooring, olive trees, a turquoise bench, and a white building with a clock tower and arches under a partly cloudy sky.
A courtyard with red brick pathways, green benches, trimmed hedges, and leafy trees in front of a white building with a clock tower under a partly cloudy sky.

Community Importance

The South Patio was originally designed as a central circulation space, divided into four quadrants by brick paths aligned on the north-south and east-west axes. Accessible from the historic reception room (now the Passenger Concourse), Waiting Room, Forecourt, and arcades, the patio was envisioned as a seamless extension of the Station’s interior spaces. With this restoration the South Patio can once again be experienced by passengers and visitors as was historically intended; an open, welcoming space that celebrates Union Station’s legacy.

Equally important, the project introduced significant safety and accessibility enhancements. Thoughtful upgrades ensured the patio now provides a more inclusive experience, meeting current accessibility standards while maintaining historic fabric. Visitors of all abilities can enjoy the space as part of their journey, reinforcing Union Station’s role as a civic landmark that serves everyone.

Beyond what the public sees, the project’s underground waterproofing and drainage improvements are critical to the building’s longevity. Previous water intrusion had already damaged reinforced concrete walls, brick pavers, curbs, and landscaping, threatening the Station’s historic integrity. Much-needed electrical and audio-visual upgrades were also strategically implemented so that the space can be more frequently utilized for large events without jeopardizing the patio’s historic fabric. By addressing these underlying issues, the project safeguards one of Los Angeles’ most significant cultural assets, ensuring it remains both functional and resilient.

Through this restoration, the South Patio has been transformed into a space that is safe, inclusive, historically authentic, and structurally sound – an enduring benefit to the community and all who pass through Union Station.

 

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.