SMUD Headquarters Rehabilitation
Sacramento, California
Client
Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Completion
2019
LEED Status
Certified
Size
146,110 sf - 13 Acres
Cost
$83 Million
Delivery Method
Design-Bid-Build
Preserving the Past, Powering the Future
The SMUD Headquarters Rehabilitation is a transformative project that honors the legacy of a mid-century modern icon while reshaping it for the needs of today’s workforce. Through thoughtful restoration, preservation, and targeted interventions—including an addition and comprehensive tenant improvements—the building now supports a dynamic workplace rooted in sustainability, resilience, and design excellence. This is more than a rehabilitation—it’s a reinvestment in Sacramento’s architectural heritage and SMUD’s forward-thinking mission.
Honoring a Modernist Icon
After more than 60 years of continuous use, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) Headquarters has undergone a comprehensive rehabilitation. This revitalization of the 146,000-square-foot landmark carefully preserves the spirit of its mid-century modern design while upgrading the building for 21st-century performance. The transformation balances innovation with preservation, addressing the concerns of the historic community while supporting SMUD’s mission as a sustainability leader.
A Thoughtful Evolution of the Original Vision
Originally designed by our firm in 1958 for a growing utility, the SMUD Headquarters has come full circle with a complete interior and exterior renovation. Commissioned again in 2014, we approached the rehabilitation with deep respect for the building’s legacy and spatial logic. A discreet new addition introduces abundant daylight and expanded views, while a formerly enclosed central stair and mechanical shaft was replaced with an open stair to enhance vertical circulation and visual connection between wings. Updated open office areas now support a multi-generational workforce with flexible meeting, collaboration, and break spaces—carefully modernized while honoring the original five-foot planning grid.
Preserving Place and Cultural Legacy
The rehabilitation extended beyond the building envelope to include thoughtful site and landscape improvements that maintain the integrity of the original 13-acre campus. Significant historic features were preserved and enhanced, reinforcing the building’s relationship to its surroundings. As part of this effort, artist Wayne Thiebaud’s iconic mosaic tile mural, Water City, was carefully cleaned and restored. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the SMUD Headquarters stands as both a cultural landmark and a continued symbol of civic pride.
Recognition
2022, Architizer A+ Awards
Architecture +Preservation—Popular Choice Winner
2021 AIA Central Valley
Citation Award
2020 DOCOMOMO US
Modernism in America Awards, Special Citation
2020, California Preservation Foundation
Preservation Design Awards—Trustee's Award for Excellence
2020, California Preservation Foundation
Preservation Design Awards—Rehabilitation
2020, ASLA California Sierra
Honor Award—General Design
2020, SEAOCC
Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards —Award of Excellence, Retrofit/Alteration
2020, Architect's Newspaper
Best of Design Awards Honorable Mention—Restoration & Preservation
2020, Sacramento Business Journal
Best Real Estate Projects—Rehabilitation/Renovation
2020, Metropolis Magazine
January Feature, "A 1959 Modernist Office in Sacramento Shines Again"
2020, Preservation Magazine
Summer Feature, "Mural Support"