Por Ashley Mackin | Editor SDUN

At the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s annual “Orchids & Onions” fundraiser on Oct. 27, five “Onions” and 15 “Orchids” were awarded. Orchids applaud the architectural or design efforts of San Diego businesses, while Onions represent disapproval for architectural work performed to buildings and landmarks.

Suzanne Clemmer, Orchids & Onions program co-chair, said, “The main goal is to give people the opportunity to give feedback on their built environment. We want to make San Diego a better city, and be more responsive to what people need and what people want.”

Craft & Commerce in Little Italy was honored with the Grand Orchid, the highest honor. Located at 675 West Beech St., Craft and Commerce received the Orchid for its interior renovations.

Arsalun Tafazoli of Consortium Holdings, the engineering group responsible for the renovations, said, “We created Craft & Commerce with the idea that we wanted to incorporate one of our core philosophies into the concept, which is that design should inspire dialogue and human interaction. We’re honored that people have responded to our efforts, and that the committee has recognized us for this award.”

Other Uptown Orchid honorees include: Centre Street Lofts in Hillcrest, Art Produce in North Park, Bankers Hill Bar and Restaurant, Meshuggah Shack in Mission Hills and Sustainable North Park Main Street.

Sustainable North Park Main Street, which looks at maintaining cultural and historic integrity in the community and creating a green sustainable economy, among other things, won the award in the category of planning policies.

“The jury was very impressed with this project… both in the planning and reason behind it,” Clemmer said of the North Park project. “The whole planning policy included building owners and the community to create a framework for the future,” she said.

Clemmer added the jury was impressed with the implementation of the project and the decision to give Sustainable North Park Main Street the positive award was unanimous.

Art Produce in North Park won the Orchid for sustainability. Art Produce is a public art and culture center and urban development project focused on aesthetic, educational and sustainable and green practices. They are located at 3139 University Ave.

The Hillcrest Business Association (HBA) received an Onion for their renovation of the Hillcrest sign that hangs over University Avenue at Fifth Avenue.

The HBA unveiled the new sign during CityFest in August to replace the previously dysfunctional sign. The revitalization of the 1984 sign included new components, including LED lighting rather than traditional neon. This decision was only one of the reasons behind the Onion award, which was awarded in the category of historical preservation.

“What is less praise-worthy [than LED lighting],” the awards committee stated, “is the lack of respect for history, the exclusion of the larger community in the discussion, the failure to consider alternatives… and, most of all, the unfortunate visual result.” The committee suggested solar panels as an alternative to LED lighting, but it was unclear how this would have been imple¬mented and still adhere to the category of historical preservation.

Hillcrest Business Association’s (HBA) executive director, Benjamin Nicholls, was at the ceremony and accepted the award by saying, “We are here today to receive the award because we believe that our sign is fabulous. This belief is rooted in neighborhood enthusiasm, as the tremendous feedback we’ve received indicates that Hillcrest is happy to have a functional, environmentally friendly and revitalized sign.”

In a formal response to the initial nomination, Nicholls said, “Although the HBA is not a historic preservation organization, it has worked to ensure that the original character of the Hillcrest sign remained true. The design specifications for the façade and lighted letters were exactly the same as that of the 1984 sign.”

Nicholls added, “We are confident that we made the right decision for Hillcrest.”

Clemmer explained several jurors were at CityFest when the sign was unveiled, and they preferred the look of the old sign. She also claimed they were unhappy with the fact the cables holding the sign up were more visible.

Another Onion in Uptown was awarded to the State Street Offices, located at 2534 State St. The complex houses conference rooms and office spaces available for rent.

A jury of design professionals and artists is selected annually to determine the Orchids & Onions awards based upon the public’s submissions in categories including: architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, historic preservation and sustainable design, among others.

Clemmer explained the Orchids & Onions are “100 percent nominated by the public” and, after inspecting the properties nominated, the jury votes.

Orchids & Onions is touted as a community-based program geared towards raising awareness and encouraging discourse in response to the buildings that make up San Diego’s environment. The awards also serve as a fundraiser for the San Diego Architectural Foundation.

For full descriptions of all the award recipients, visit orchidsandonions.org.