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This 1938 building, dedicated to the people of San Diego by President
Franklin D. Roosevelt, was designed to provide a welcome to seafaring
travelers. The architecture of the County Administration Building
is Spanish revival in style with a strong Beaux Arts classical
influence. In 1988 the building was placed on the National Register
of Historic Places. In the decade following significant renovations
were made to give it a face-lift that included a new exterior lighting
design.
Paul Ericson, vice president and western region leader of Syska
Hennessy’s architectural lighting design group, was retained
to design a lighting scheme. The stately waterfront structure went
from being dark after its costly lighting system was turned off
and removed in the 1973 energy crisis to acquiring warmly glowing
columns of light. Not only did the better use of light accentuate
the building’s beauty, it cut energy consumption by two-thirds
from the initial installation.
Illumination strategies were also employed to light the building
name, flag pole fountain, statue, domes and landscaping.
The lighting design received the International Illumination Design
Award, Edwin F. Guth Award of Merit from the IESNA.
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