Bowles Hall

Bowles Hall, a distinctive eight-story Collegiate Gothic style building, sits prominently above the heart of the UC Berkeley campus. Constructed in 1928, the reinforced concrete building with clay tile roofs, was designed by University Architect George W. Kelham as the first dormitory built by the University of California. It served as an all-male dormitory for 75 years. The current project has transformed Bowles Hall into a co-educational residential college.

The building underwent full seismic, code, and programmatic upgrades. Clay tile partition walls between bedrooms were demolished and reconfigured to provide single and double occupancy rooms with private baths in place of the original ganged restrooms. The historic exterior and formal interior spaces—a large Lounge, Library, Dining Room, and Entry Hall—were restored in compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards. Siegel & Strain served as Historic Interiors Consultant to Pyatok Architects (Prime).

Bowles Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a City of Berkeley landmark.

Historic Interiors Consultant: Siegel & Strain Architects
Prime Architect: Pyatok Architects

AWARDS:

• Renovation/Restoration Award of Merit, 2017 Best Projects, Engineering News–California
• Gold Nugget Award of Merit for Best Renovated, Restored or Adaptive Reuse Residential Project
• Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association (BAHA) Preservation Award
• National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA) Excellence in Structural Engineering Award, Washington, DC
• Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC) Excellence in Structural Engineering Award of Merit, San Diego
• Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC) Excellence in Structural Engineering Award of Merit, San Francisco