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C0001.00_May Lee State Office Complex_30

Department of General Services, May Lee State Office Complex

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Alan Karchmer / 10th &amp; O California Legislature Office Building

State of California, 1021 O Street Office Building

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SMUD_HQ_Renovation

SMUD Headquarters Rehabilitation

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IOC Lobby Side by Side

Integrated Operations Center

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Santa_Clara_Co_Animal_Services_21

County of Santa Clara Animal Services Center

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C0001.00_May Lee State Office Complex_29

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Chico State University Services

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A9007_MOSAC_103_cropped

Museum of Science and Curiosity

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Santa Clara Animal Services Center

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Santa_Clara_Co_Animal_Services_Small

The County of Santa Clara Animal Care and Control Department needed to replace their makeshift former donated residence which had several additions and portables, into an adequate home for the area’s needy animals. The new facility enables the County to handle specialty surgeries, conduct livestock rehabilitation, promote adoptions, and maintain a 94% live-release rate, one of California’s highest.
The County&#8217;s new Animal Services Center has capacity for 54 dogs and 90 cats, with spaces for other types including small animals like rabbits, guinea pigs and birds. To house and highlight larger livestock animals, a barn is situated along the main building frontage, increasing its visibility. Prominent interior glass walls and a central courtyard in the state-of-the-art 37,000-square-foot building highlight animals and community engagement spaces. Taking a distinct departure from traditional shelter design, dog kennels are organized around an outdoor landscaped courtyard named “The Park.” Together with surrounding “Get Acquainted” pods, the experience offers a bright and open area to meet and greet potential pets in a natural park-like environment.
Another key solution this project provides is its large educational meeting facility. Not only will animal-specific community events be held there, but other County agencies are able to utilize the assembly space for conferences and gatherings up to 150 occupants—a resource they previously lacked.
County of Santa Clara Animal Services Center is designed to achieve LEED Silver certification.

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B4006 SMUD Headquarters Renovation, 2014

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B4006_SMUD_HQ_Renovation_74_W

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SMUD Headquarters Renovation, 2014

The SMUD Headquarters Rehabilitation is a transformative project that honors the legacy of a mid-century modern icon while reshaping it for the needs of today’s workforce. Through thoughtful restoration, preservation, and targeted interventions—including an addition and comprehensive tenant improvements—the building now supports a dynamic workplace rooted in sustainability, resilience, and design excellence. This is more than a rehabilitation—it’s a reinvestment in Sacramento’s architectural heritage and SMUD’s forward-thinking mission.

After more than 60 years of continuous use, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) Headquarters has undergone a comprehensive rehabilitation. This revitalization of the 146,000-square-foot landmark carefully preserves the spirit of its mid-century modern design while upgrading the building for 21st-century performance. The transformation balances innovation with preservation, addressing the concerns of the historic community while supporting SMUD’s mission as a sustainability leader.

Originally designed by our firm in 1958 for a growing utility, the SMUD Headquarters has come full circle with a complete interior and exterior renovation. Commissioned again in 2014, we approached the rehabilitation with deep respect for the building’s legacy and spatial logic. A discreet new addition introduces abundant daylight and expanded views, while a formerly enclosed central stair and mechanical shaft was replaced with an open stair to enhance vertical circulation and visual connection between wings. Updated open office areas now support a multi-generational workforce with flexible meeting, collaboration, and break spaces—carefully modernized while honoring the original five-foot planning grid.

The rehabilitation extended beyond the building envelope to include thoughtful site and landscape improvements that maintain the integrity of the original 13-acre campus. Significant historic features were preserved and enhanced, reinforcing the building’s relationship to its surroundings. As part of this effort, artist Wayne Thiebaud’s iconic mosaic tile mural, Water City, was carefully cleaned and restored. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the SMUD Headquarters stands as both a cultural landmark and a continued symbol of civic pride.

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A9007 Museum of Science and Curiosity, 2002-2021

The SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity (MOSAC) is a transformation project at the confluence of history, science, and community impact. Formerly the Powerhouse Science Center, MOSAC reimagines a long-dormant riverfront power station as a vibrant hub for science education, exploration, and civic engagement. Set against the banks of the Sacramento River, the museum is a cornerstone in the city’s riverfront revitalization and a destination for learning that connects past innovation with future discovery.

The design of MOSAC grows directly from its context—physically and symbolically. Occupying the site of a once-abandoned PG&E power station, the museum forms a key part of Sacramento’s waterfront activation. It anchors the Robert T. Matsui Waterfront Park and serves as a southern gateway to the 32-mile American River Bike Trail, inviting cyclists, families, and visitors to engage with science through architecture and landscape.

Vacant for over 50 years, the original 30,000-square-foot structure was carefully rehabilitated, including the construction of a new interior floor level. A striking two-story, 22,000-square-foot addition extends from the east, housing classrooms, a café, offices, and a light-filled lobby. A 120-seat planetarium punctuates the building’s mass, its zinc-clad hemispheric dome signaling the museum’s outward-looking mission. The facade is inscribed with angled vector lines—connecting the building to satellites, landmarks, and broader ideas—reminding visitors of our place within a vast, interconnected world.

Originally designed in 1912 by noted architect Willis Polk in the Classical Revival style, the PG&E River Station B was formally closed in 1954 and lay dormant until MOSAC’s rebirth. Now listed on the National, California, and Sacramento Registers of Historic Places, the building is both a preserved landmark and a cutting-edge cultural destination. MOSAC is LEED Platinum certified, affirming its commitment not only to educational excellence, but also to environmental stewardship and sustainable design.

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CTA_University_Union_Exp_North_13

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CTA_University_Union_Exp_North_mobile

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Dreyfuss + Blackford’s legacy of design excellence has shaped the built environment of Northern California for decades, delivering impactful, enduring architecture that reflects the region’s evolving needs and character.

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C2021.00 Chico State University Services 0005

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The County of Santa Clara Animal Care and Control Department needed to replace their makeshift former donated residence which had several additions and portables, into an adequate home for the area’s needy animals. The new facility enables the County to handle specialty surgeries, conduct livestock rehabilitation, promote adoptions, and maintain a 94% live-release rate, one of California’s highest.

The County's new Animal Services Center has capacity for 54 dogs and 90 cats, with spaces for other types including small animals like rabbits, guinea pigs and birds. To house and highlight larger livestock animals, a barn is situated along the main building frontage, increasing its visibility. Prominent interior glass walls and a central courtyard in the state-of-the-art 37,000-square-foot building highlight animals and community engagement spaces. Taking a distinct departure from traditional shelter design, dog kennels are organized around an outdoor landscaped courtyard named “The Park.” Together with surrounding “Get Acquainted” pods, the experience offers a bright and open area to meet and greet potential pets in a natural park-like environment.

Another key solution this project provides is its large educational meeting facility. Not only will animal-specific community events be held there, but other County agencies are able to utilize the assembly space for conferences and gatherings up to 150 occupants—a resource they previously lacked.

County of Santa Clara Animal Services Center is designed to achieve LEED Silver certification.

May Lee State Office Complex

1021 O Street Office Building

SMUD Headquarters Rehabilitation

Integrated Operations Center

County of Santa Clara Animal Services Center

May Lee State Office Complex

Chico State University Services Building

Museum of Science and Curiosity

Our History

Seventy Five Years

Our History

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