The 2009 Orchids & Onions Awards Ceremony was held on Thursday, November 12, 2009 at On Broadway Event Center in downtown San Diego. The ceremony was emcee'd by the witty and vivacious Barbarella. Architect Graham Downes served as the commentator, and provided some lively and considered discussion on the winners selected by the jury.

Now for the Orchids... click on the link for photos and more information about each - and to let us know what you think (agree? disagree?) by leaving a comment!

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Grand Orchid: The Station

"Flawless! Perhaps an odd thing to say when we’re talking about a small building that aims to be a good dive bar, but in The Station it’s possible to see how history can be respected and strategies can be created that are nimble enough to make architecture on a small budget and without predetermined forms."

People's Choice Orchid: ResMed

"Every once in a while you have to look beyond the immediate noise of the city to find a gem in the rough. Well, the people have searched through our nominations and found that gem in the San Diego business parks between Montgomery Field and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. Behold ResMed, the new, state‐of‐the‐art, North American headquarters for the Sleep Apnea Company."

New Roots Community Farm (Special Jury Mention)

"Located on a small 2.5 acre lot in City Heights, a grass roots effort has finally taken hold to create San Diego’s first community farm. One juror noted “Kudos to the groups’ collective perseverance in spending three years and over $50K in City of San Diego required permits and processing to get this project out of the ground”."

MXD830 (Architecture)

Starlite (Interior Design)

"Starlite, designed by Bells & Whistles, is one of San Diego's most custom interiors with the designers/ builders having their hand in all aspects of creating the space. Passing through a hexagonal Ipe slatted tunnel, patrons are presented with a concert of contrasting materials in play with each other."

Art Produce (Public Art)

"While it generated spirited debate over what, exactly, defines the “public” aspect in public art, the jury found that owner/artist Lynn Susholtz and ArtProduce made crucial contributions to the visual and social quality of life in the North Park neighborhood. Another commented, “Art Produce does much more than a sculpture sitting in the middle of a plaza ... It’s a provocation: to think about art in the community.”"

Hamilton Children's Garden (Landscape Architecture)

"Just having opened on June 13th this year, the Hamilton Children’s garden explodes with interpretive activities that keep kids’ imaginations roaring in high gear. This team of incredibly creative and talented designers have really gone above and beyond and re‐defined what a children’s garden should be."

Point Loma Marina at America's Cup Harbor (Architecture)

"Imagine strolling America’s Cup Harbor promenade, enjoying the warm sun, cool breeze, and the shimmering waters of the bay and encountering this newest development. The architecture gracefully embraces the water’s edge and provides an opportunity to marvel the architect’s great attention to detail."

Gateway Intermodal Transportation Center (Planning Policies)

"While the concept of an intermodal transportation center adjacent to the airport has been floated before, this year’s jury felt it was very essential to remind the Port Authority of the critical need for such a project. One jury member put it simply “This is BIG THINKING that San Diego needs.”"

1906 Lodge Coronado (Historic Preservation)

"This Irving Gill and William Hebbard designed boarding house has been brought back to life as a 17 room boutique hotel. The jury was pleased to see this commitment to preservation, showing “how past and present can co‐exist.”"

Woodbury School of Design (Architecture)

"Rinehart-Herbst took a vacany building once considered a blight on the neighborhood of Barrio Logan and transformed it into a vibrant urban campus. They say location is everything; Woodbury is a standout in the budding revitalization of Barrio Logan. It is a statement of thoughtful, understated design both complimentary to and enhanced by the cultural charm of the area."

Euclid Tower – City Heights (Historic Preservation)

"Originally constructed in 1932 as part of a drive-in soda fountain, the Art Deco Euclid Tower had become City Heights' most regognizable landmark. A 1995 community driven public art project added multicultural colors and designs, but the 80-foot tall tower was structurally unsound and much to the community's dismay, city inspectors ordered it torn down in 1999. The jury felt that bringing the tower back was important both historically and culturally for the City Heights Community."

Bacon Street Offices (Sustainable Design)

"This former auto‐repair shop turned architects office proves good things do come in small packages. Located in the eclectic neighborhood of Ocean Beach, this project designed and owned by Architects Hanna Gabriel Wells has shown the community that you can give back to the earth and still thrive as a business." 

Robert Paine Scripps Forum (Architecture)

"Located south of the pier at the Scripps Institute for Oceanography, this state of the art teaching and conference center is an unimposing and relaxed retreat where the brightest minds can gather to tackle our planet’s greatest scientific challenges. Despite multiple rounds of “value‐engineering” and nearly ten years in planning and construction, this privately funded and LEED certified project is an admirable addition to the Scripps campus."

High Tech High Chula Vista (Sustainable Design)

"Awarding an orchid to High Tech High in the Sustainability category posed an agonizing quandary for jurors. The building itself is exemplary: abundant daylighting, photovoltaic solar energy, optimized energy systems, and an anticipated LEED Gold Rating are just a few of the school’s distinctions. Yet the jurors found its suburban fringe location underscored the inherently unsustainable land‐use pattern of suburban, car‐dependent transportation. In granting this particular orchid, jurors decided that the good architecture and sustainable design trumped old-fashioned land use policies."