Berkeley Historic Building Fund
Bernard Maybeck designed the original 1906 Hillside Club building, which was destroyed in the 1923 Berkeley Fire
WHAT WE DO
Preserving history to create a better future
At the Berkeley Historic Building Fund, we aim to make a lasting impact on the future of Berkeley, by identifying, repairing, renovating, restoring and saving significant and historic buildings and properties within Berkeley, California.
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The city of Berkeley, California was an important leader in the development of early 20th-century architecture and design.
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Founded in 1868, The University of California, Berkeley became one of the top public universities in the United States. The university attracted many architects and designers to the area, including Bernard Maybeck, John Galen Howard, and Julia Morgan, who would go on to develop new, unique architectural styles and design many notable buildings in the area.
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The architects and designers in Berkeley were influenced by The Arts and Crafts Movement, which began in the late 19th century and emphasized traditional craftsmanship and natural materials.
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The First Bay Tradition was a building style developed and promoted by a group of architects who were based in Berkeley and the San Francisco Bay Area and who shared a common approach to architecture. These architects emphasized the use of natural materials, the integration of buildings into their surroundings, environmental responsibility, and social consciousness. The influence of the First Bay Tradition can be seen in later architectural movements and in the continued focus on sustainable design and building practices today.
THE HILLSIDE CLUBHOUSE
A Distinct Identity
The primary focus for our initial campaigns will be in support of the building and grounds of The Hillside Clubhouse.
The Hillside Club is a neighborhood social club established in 1898 by residents of Berkeley, California's newly settled Northside neighborhood to protect the hills from unsightly grading and construction of unsuitable buildings. Its historically significant Clubhouse took its stylistic cues from the principles of the Arts and Crafts movement.
Prominent early club members included architects Bernard Maybeck and John Galen Howard, author Charles Keeler, notable artists William Keith and Oscar Maurer, journalist Frank Morton Todd, and many others.
Maybeck designed the original 1906 clubhouse, which was destroyed in the 1923 Berkeley Fire. John White, Maybeck's brother-in-law, designed the current clubhouse in 1924.
