When Oceanside Museum of Art planned the construction of a new, Central Pavilion that would join its Irving Gill designed building (Oceanside's 1934 City Hall) with the Gill Firehouse #1 (1929), a chief concern was to select a modernist architect who works in a clear 21st century style and whose design aesthetic reflected Gill's proto-modernist sensitivity for proportion, scale, and simplicity. Frederick Fisher understood the need to respect and honor Gill's legacy while delivering to the museum an important new building with its own identity and integrity.

His design gives the museum a new entry with a spacious lobby that through the use of large sliding glass doors can join the lobby and terrace, seating 250 guests for al fresco dining and special events. It also provides two handsome gallery spaces, a catering kitchen, and a complex of administrative offices and board room. The full basement is completed with exhibition/publication production shops and museum collection storage facilities. The 16,000 sq. ft. structure was designed and built for $5.8 million. It was completed and opened to the public on March 2, 2008. General Contractor was PCL Construction Services, Inc.

Image