Photo Credit: Cesar Rubio

San Francisco Zen Center

Religious Architecture: Renovation
Studio Bondy Architecture

San Francisco, CA

Originally designed in 1922 by Julia Morgan as a residence for young professional Jewish women, the building became the home of San Francisco Zen Center in 1969. Since then, it has served as a place for reflection and connection for a diverse population and residential living for Zen practitioners.

Mu is a core Zen Buddhist concept emphasizing emptiness as positive space filled with potential. The original building featured three large open rooms serving the daily needs of the residents. These “empty” spaces were adapted by the Zen Center to serve as a dining room, a Zendo (meditation hall), and a Buddha Hall where services and lectures are conducted. This project created a fourth “empty” space to serve as a Welcome Center with reception, community gathering room, and a Buddhist bookstore. This 1,350-square-foot space was found by removing an array of small rooms and exposing the original reinforced concrete column grid.

The building now has an elevator providing access to all four floors. Additionally, the renovation modernized the original communal bathrooms into individual-use facilities and added new all-gender public restrooms. This thoughtful transformation ensures San Francisco Zen Center can continue its mission for generations to come.

Jury Comments

This is a renovation that listened to and realized the client’s dreams. The architects respected the historic character of Julia Morgan’s classical building and, without changing the building footprint, found space for accessory upgrades and an expanded program, including the new Welcome Center. Overall, there is a quiet clarity to the renovated space, especially the Zendo meditation hall, which is entirely befitting of the client’s spiritual mission.

Project Partners

Herrero Builders
Murphy Burr Curry
O’Mahony & Myer
Anna Kondolf Lighting Design
Acoustical Arts & Engineering
Lilli Lanier