An underutilized, historic building in the community of La Jolla, California is adaptively reused for the purposes of a museum and office space, to add value to the community and to the building itself. It is within this context of architectural conservation, Placemaking and Adaptive Reuse that I frame my graduate thesis project. The Preservation component of my project will assist in creating inherent value and historical context for the building and its purpose. The Placemaking component will help generate community excitement and interest in the building and its various purposes. Lastly, the adaptive reuse element will add a sustainability factor to the project. Sustainability is crucial to the purpose and goals of The Surfrider Foundation, the non-profit organization that will be housed in a second story addition to the existing historic building. The Surfrider Foundation emphasizes and promotes conservation of the Earth's resources, specifically its waves and oceans. The other more specific design elements of the space include: exhibition design, retail design, office design and ocean friendly garden design. The ultimate goal of this project is to not only present an interesting and aesthetically pleasing solution. Its goal is to create a place that adds cultural richness, historical context, and sense of community to the Herschel Avenue building and to the greater area of La Jolla.
