In 1946, when College Avenue was closed, the building was moved about 160 feet west, to make room for the Gayley Road extension of Piedmont Avenue, across the east side of the campus, into what became the shadow of Haas Business School. In the beginning, they referred to their project as Girton Hall, out of respect for the first women’s college at Cambridge University, but by the time it was completed, it was officially known as Senior Women’s Hall. The young women staged programs and wrote letters to solicit funds. At the time, the Senior Men’s Hall had been built but women did not have access to this or most other men’s facilities. In 1910 the Associated Women Students asked prominent California architect Julia Morgan to design a small building for their activities on a wooded knoll just north of Strawberry Creek, east of what was then College Avenue, and about 500 feet south of the Greek Theatre. Close to civilization while in a natural landscape setting, this historic structure will take you back in time without giving up modern conveniences. The Julia Morgan Hall is now open for a wide array of social events including celebrations (weddings, birthdays, memorials), seminars, conferences, retreats, etc. Landscaping surrounding the building consists of native California material in the spirit of Julia Morgan’s naturalist settings. A gas fireplace insert helps create a comfortable and home-like environment and Wifi and audio-visual capabilities were added to expand functionality. A new entrance and several internal modifications were designed to meet ADA compliance codes, the outside deck was expanded to create a special outdoor event space overlooking our California collection, and internal restrooms and kitchen were upgraded. While retaining as much of the historic character as possible, several modifications brought it up to current use standards. The building, moved from central campus in quarters in January, 2014, now stands near the front of the Garden where it looks like it has always belonged. Recognized as Berkeley Landmark and on the National Historical Registry, the newly renovated building received a 2015 ‘Preservation Award’ from the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association (BAHA) upon completion. The building stands as a monument to the status of women at UC Berkeley, representing their first social center and once again, serves this social function in a new setting. Now the 34-acre haven nestled near the top of Strawberry Canyon is home to something else quite precious: famed architect Julia Morgan’s Senior Women’s Hall, built in 1911 and listed on both California and national historic registries. The UC Botanical Garden boasts more than 12,000 different kinds of plants, many of them rare, exotic or endangered. Julia Morgan Building Now Home in UC Botanical Garden
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