New Architecture Set to Change the Berkeley Landscape

Berkeley has its fair share of architecturally distinctive buildings, but the majority of them are historic—or at least pre-1960s—so it’s exciting to see the designs for the unapologetically contemporary Berkeley Art Musuem designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito.

With its 3-inch concrete walls pressed to a two inch-thick steel plate it has been described by the Chronicle’s John King’s as an “easygoing egg carton.”

Curbed SF has a good post on the building which is slated to open in 2013.

The site next to the new museum has been set aside for a hotel and conference center. This will be the second new hotel for the city. The Berkeley Charles Hotel, a 19-story hotel and conference center in downtown Berkeley (entrance on Center Street) is being planned by the same people behind the upscale Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Ma.

The developers, Carpenter & Company, have recruited architects including Cambridge Seven Associates, Donlyn Lyndon of Berkeley and San Francisco’s SMWM for the project for which so far only concept designs have been released (below).

It’s about time we had some choice where hotels are concerned. At the moment Berkeley has just one multiple starred hotel and that is The Claremont Resort & Spa, a slightly eccentric place whose rooms often leave a lot to be desired.

Hopefully some competition will be good news for punters looking for good-value, quality accommodation with a little oomph.