The building鈥檚 exterior was carefully rehabilitated, with its historic character听retained and repaired, when possible. | Photo Credit (all): Bruce Damonte
By Ryan Jang and Cecily Ng听
The reimagined Creekside Center at UC Berkeley听represents听a fundamental shift in how accessibility, sustainability, and historic preservation can coexist within the academic built environment. Located in the campus’ classical core, the project transformed the former听Dwinelle听Hall Annex 鈥� a deteriorating, barrier-laden structure 鈥� into an inclusive, high-performance home for the university鈥檚 Disabled Students鈥� Program (DSP). Rather than treating accessibility as a compliance exercise, the design team approached the renovation as an opportunity to听demonstrate听how universal design can enhance comfort, resilience, and agency for all building users.听听
Shaped by an extensive programming process that included feedback from students, staff, and campus stakeholders, the project is rooted in DSP鈥檚 belief that 鈥渁n accessible environment universally benefits everyone.鈥澨齅ore than听4,000 students visit the听building regularly to receive services such as proctoring, alternative听media听and interpreting.听听
A Historic Building with Modern Barriers听
The two-story building is nestled in the mature trees north of Strawberry Creek.听Originally听designed听by John Galen Howard in 1920听in the First Bay Tradition,听there were听additions in 1924 by Howard and 1949 by Michael Goodman.听When听the听project began in 2021,听many features attributing听the building听to the First Bay Tradition听were present听but听in a state of disrepair. A non-code compliant ramp linked three of the lower elevations while the upper floors were disconnected听and听only听reachable听by听stairs.听The exterior suffered from water intrusion, rot, and pest damage.听The existing听steam听heating system was served by听the campus central plant听in a highly inefficient manner. There was no mechanical ventilation or air filtration system.听听
Restoring Character While Improving Performance听
The building鈥檚 exterior was carefully rehabilitated, with its historic character听retained听and repaired, when possible. New听cladding听replicates听the original redwood board and batten siding. The听low-pitched gabled roof eaves and fascias听were restored. The听spearmint-colored听windows with divided听lites听were replaced with high performance windows of听the same size听and appearance. 鈥淗igh performance鈥澨齝ould听not just address environmental qualities.听Window models听were听also听evaluated for听accessibility听features听such as operating force and the height of locking and lifting mechanisms.听听
Other envelope-tightening measures included adding weather barriers and insulation to the exterior walls,听roof听and floors. The project installed all-electric mechanical systems.听Through this听deep-energy听retrofit,听actual energy听use听in the six months of full occupancy has been 84% below baseline. The embodied carbon intensity is 63% lower than the median new-construction educational building.听
A Ramp as the Building鈥檚 Circulation Spine听
The one major exterior addition is a new ramp that connects the five existing floor elevations. As the听single听circulation听spine, the ramp听facilitates听equitable听access throughout the building. Large expanses of glazing along the ramp听allows听views clear across the building from the campus to the creek. Exposed structural wood posts听supporting the ramp听create a unifying cadence and a place for handrail brackets. By expressing the ramp slope on the exterior with听a听contemporary听fiber cement panel fa莽ade, the ramp听becomes听a beacon that communicates universal access.听
Universal Design Beyond Code Requirements听
Universal Design strategies exceed code听accessibility听requirements and include color and form-based wayfinding and biophilia rich interiors.听The restored听existing听wood听roof trusses were exposed听as an interior finish material听and听influenced the听remainder听of the interior material palette. Wood is used in high touch places such as windows, handrails, and wall end caps. The wood provided textural and color contrast, both of which help make spaces more accessible, without overwhelming the senses.听听
Preserving the existing floor to floor height significantly limited the space for mechanical equipment. By selectively lowering the ceiling at听the听threshold听between听circulation听and听program spaces, the team created room for the equipment and provided an area for an individual to decompress before deciding how to engage with the space ahead.听The floor material听and wall听color differ from the adjacent spaces and are only used听in听the thresholds. The color, texture, and difference in light quality听in the threshold spaces signifies听to someone with low vision they were about to enter a new type of space.听
Designing for Choice, Agency, and Comfort听
The thresholds听offer听individual听choice,听a theme听also听integrated听elsewhere. Each听office听has an independently controlled听thermostat,听and听every听regularly occupied space has at听least one operable window听to听provide individual听choice in the quality and temperature of airflow. Solar shades and dimmer switches for all overhead lights听allow occupants to control the quality of light.听Individualized controls are often missing from today鈥檚 workspaces, but these features听are听easy to integrate and go a long way to make occupants feel welcome.听听
To guide the project beyond minimum code accessibility, the team devised a list of听eight听鈥淚mpact Areas鈥� that connect access needs to design features rather than assigning features to specific disabilities. The Impact Areas included听needs听such as community building and privacy, cognitive access, and sensory zoning.听The Impact Areas听offered听a framework to address 鈥渄ueling disabilities,鈥� where听people have drastically different environmental needs,听and听ultimately听helped听the team听provide agency and enhance feelings of safety and security听in the building.听Creekside Center provides a much-needed home for a community that has听historically marginalized from the design of the built environment.听
Ryan Jang,听AIA, LEED AP, is a Principal and Cecily Ng, AIA, is an Associate听with听Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects.听