Port Brewery Building – Orchids & Onions.
There’s more orchids and onions in Point Loma. That means there’s an additional Orchid nomination by the jurors in San Diego’s annual Orchids & Onions contest in Point Loma and an additional Onion.
This is all part of a a San Diego tradition that hearkens back to 1976 and is sponsored by the San Diego Architectural Foundation.
So, the Port Brewery Building on the bay was nominated for the Orchid (see below) and the Bella Mar condo complex was nominated for an Onion.
They join other nominations for Orchids and Onions of local OB and Point Loma architectural space. Bella Mar joins Point Loma’s Fire Station No. 22and the Waterpoint condos near Shelter Island Drive, both receiving onions. And the brewery building joins the OB Garden Cafe for an Orchid.
This year jurors include architects, landscape architects, interior designers, a developer, an artist and a clean-tech executive. The whole idea is to educate San Diegans on good design, while encouraging private developers and the public agencies who hire them to strive for better quality.
They will meet soon to decide the winners and losers. Meanwhile the public can also vote online between Aug. 15 and Sept. 15, at orchidsandonions.org for the People’s Choice Orchid and Onion. Then on October 4, everything’s unveiled at the U.S. Grant Hotel.
Sure, we know this is kind of a game among the upper crust, but there is a popular angle – plus it’s fun to watch.
Here is what Orchids & Onions say:
Orchid Nominee
Port Brewery Building – Retail: Point Loma
Quality architecture and good urban planning contribute to this project’s ability to make the most of its waterfront location. Materials, finishes and shapes recall working wharfs of the past, while making for a fun and breezy place to get a flight of local beers. A new plaza that surrounds the building and flanks the bay front walk has quickly become a favorite place to gather. It also provides a way to preserve views from adjacent residences. This project exemplifies good place making that is authentic to its time and location.
Project Address: Bayfront at end of Dickens Street, Point Loma
Project Architect/Designer: Miller Hull Partnership
Bella Mar complex. Photo from Orchids & Onions.
Onion Nominee
Bella Mar – Residential Mixed use: Point Loma
This new mixed use condo complex misses the mark wasting the opportunity to anchor the heart of Point Loma Village. Upscale pricing contrasts with low-level materials, finishes and detailing in this half-hearted attempt at mixed use. Its most distinctive feature is a series of cheap-looking, metal-mesh screens that surround windows at the street facade. Their curving shape evokes “sails?” Providing no purpose they along with the mediocre plaster finish work and shading devices located too high above the windows to provide shade make this one a stinker.
Project Address: Rosecrans and Byron, Point Loma
Project Owner/Developer: Nextspace Developer
Project Architect/Designer: Martinez Cutri Architects / Marengo Morton Architects
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
This new Point Loma building is not the Port Brewing.
This is the new Eppig Brewing tasting room.
I recommend their 10:45 to Denver IPA.
Not sure why it’s called the “Port Brewery Building” by Orchids and Onions, but it’s not a brewery and it may be on Port tidelands but it has nothing to do with Pizza Port beer.
It’s a tasting room for Eppig Brewing. And I have to say it is AWESOME outdoor space!! The other day there was large family having a great time eating BYO pizza and sampling Eppig’s great beer in a setting that is….well, epic!
It’s true, the sign says Eppig Brewing; the Orchids & Onions website lists the address as the end of Dickens at the bay. Well, there’s where Eppig is. I did a search for Port Brewery and the only one I could find is up in San Marcos. So…. what the hay?