Interactive Resources, Inc. is proud to announce that the firm has been honored with a 2026 California Preservation Award from the California Preservation Foundation for design of Rehabilitation, Seismic Retrofit & Infrastructure Upgrade on the Historic Campus Powerhouse (Substation 8) Adaptive Reuse, at the University of California, Berkeley.

This prestigious award recognizes outstanding achievements in historic preservation and celebrates projects that thoughtfully restore and revitalize California’s architectural heritage. The Substation 8 project exemplifies Interactive Resources’ integrated approach to architecture, structural engineering, and historic preservation, which brings new life to a significant campus landmark while supporting critical infrastructure improvements.

As part of UC Berkeley’s campus-wide electrification initiative, Interactive Resources was engaged to provide architectural, historic preservation, and structural engineering services for a new high-voltage switch station. When choosing a new site for the facility proved challenging, the team proposed an innovative solution: the adaptive reuse of a nearby 1904 powerhouse building, originally designed by renowned campus architect John Galen Howard.

Previously red-tagged due to seismic risk, the building, also known as the Old Art Gallery, underwent a comprehensive feasibility assessment before UC Berkeley advanced the project. The result is a full restoration that returns the structure to its original purpose as a power station, now serving as Switch Station #8.