Is this San Diego’s best architecture? Check out the award winners

A local architect coalition has given awards for the restoration of Balboa Park’s Botanical Building, an office in Tijuana, a project at MiraCosta College and more.

The San Diego branch of the American Institute of Architects, or AIA, has been giving out awards annually for what it feels are the best projects since 1960.

AIA’s Design Awards are likely less known than the annual Orchids and Onions competition from the San Diego Architectural Foundation. That contest gives awards for bad design in addition to celebrating the best of San Diego’s work.

This year was the second time Tijuana was included in the AIA Design Awards, announced last month.

There were five jurors, from some of the nation’s top architecture firms, who selected this year’s main winners. The top award given out is called an Honor, followed by a Merit and then a Citation. Student, urban design and Tijuana categories were decided by a local jury.

Here’s a look at some of the winners:

MiraCosta College’s Health and Wellness Hub (Citation for Architecture)

Address: 1 Barnard Drive, Oceanside

Architect: HMC Architects

This 66,000-square-foot complex brings together several health-related academic disciplines in one area. A highlight is its sunlit courtyards and outdoor spaces. A juror said the project “has a really pleasant vibe, integrating recreation and academics with wonderful outdoor spaces that take advantage of San Diego’s perfect year round climate.”

Torrey Heights (Honor for Architecture)

Address: 11202 El Camino Real, San Diego

Architect: Flad Architects

This 515,000-square-foot life science campus got high marks for its facades, green roofs and plaza. “This is a robust pure architecture project, interesting, thoughtful, beautifully done,” a juror said.

Nancy Ridge Life Science and Office Building (Honor for Architecture)

Address: 6610 Nancy Ridge Drive, San Diego

Architect: Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects

This project transformed a former warehouse into a life sciences lab. “(It is) adaptive reuse that provides a clear architectural vision,” a juror said. “(It’s) an amazing transformation from the very dated original structure.”

San Diego Symphony’s Jacobs Music Center (Honor for Interior Architecture)

Address: 1245 Seventh Ave., San Diego

Architect: HGA

Upgrades to the Jacobs Music Center received praise for its improved circulation paths, support spaces and mechanical upgrades. “An extraordinary effort across all aspects of this project,” a juror said. “The new elements are stunning and seamlessly coexist with the original interiors, all without playing second fiddle.”

El Cerrito apartments (Honor for Multifamily Residential)

Address: Corner of 55th Street and El Cajon Boulevard, San Diego

Architect: LPA Design Studios

This eight-story modular community has 172 apartments built from recycled shipping containers. “This project is interesting, innovative, high performance, and beautiful,” a juror said.

UC San Diego’s York Hall (Honor for Preservation) 

Address: 9240 Herbert York Lane, La Jolla

Architect: LPA Design Studios

This building at UC San Diego underwent a seismic retrofit to preserve its structure and architectural character. Jurors gave it high marks for retaining its mid-century character while making the improvements.

Balboa Park Botanical Building (Honor for Preservation) 

Address: 1550 El Prado, San Diego

Architect: Platt/Whitelaw Architects, Inc.

It took nearly two years and $26.5 million to rehab the popular Botanical Building in Balboa Park. “The architect and the city should be praised for their stewardship of, and investment in, this beloved Balboa Park icon,” a juror said.

Civita Master Plan (Honor for Urban Design)

Address: 7960 Civita Blvd., San Diego

Architect: Carrier Johnson + Culture

The Mission Valley community got high marks for its walkability, ecological restoration and transit access. “Programmatically, as well as ecologically, the Civita Master Plan offers a comprehensive and visionary solution to reimagining a post-industrial site,” a juror said.

RIC Office (Citation for Tijuana Architecture) 

Address: Aqua Caliente 4558-1402, Colonia Aviacion, Tijuana

Architect: Saen Studio

This Tijuana office space got praise for its use of natural materials and refinement. “It embodies the type of client and project that architects in Tijuana seek in order to stand out from the ordinary,” a juror said.

Resilient Ecosystems, Resilient Spaces (Student Award)

Architect: Tyler West

Tyler West, a recent graduate of San Diego’s NewSchool of Architecture and Design, was celebrated for his design of an ecology-focused charter school with science labs, learning spaces with natural light and a water treatment system. “The project stands out for its ability to transform environmental challenges into educational opportunities,” a juror wrote, “making it an exemplary model of resilience in architecture.”