Platt Whitelaw Architects

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Platt Whitelaw Architects

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We're a full-service San Diego-based architectural firm with over 30 years of dedication to public and community-based projects.

10/28/2026

Edison Elementary: 1991 was a defining year that marked the end of the Cold War with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It was also the public debut of the World Wide Web.

At Platt/Whitelaw Architects, we were working on a slightly smaller scale, but on a project very important to San Diego’s City Heights neighborhood: Edison Elementary School.

We designed a new, two-story classroom building, a new shade structure for the lunch area and significant upgrades for existing spaces. Those upgrades ranged from ADA and seismic to increasing access to daylight in classrooms and while navigating the campus.

This 48,000-square-foot project was remarkable for its phased construction, which permitted both the school and the contractor to function simultaneously to accommodate Edison's year-round schedule.

The school is a focal point for neighborhood pride and emphasizes the importance of education in our lives. We were honored to do this important work.

10/09/2026

Platt/Whitelaw Architects is officially ready for fall! Huge shoutout and thank you to Gloria Nonaka-Rubio for her incredible eye for design and attention to detail—the office looks fantastic! Between the beautiful seasonal decor, the bipolar weather, and the prospect of pumpkin spice in our coffee - it really feels like we’re kicking off the autumn season! What’s your favorite part of fall? 🍁✨

10/08/2026

Mira Mesa Park is open!

What a thrill to join Council President Pro Tem Kent Lee, Mayor Todd Gloria, City of San Diego staff and community members to celebrate the ribbon cutting for Mira Mesa Community Park Improvements Phase II.

This dynamic 17-acre expansion is now a vibrant community hub featuring:

🏊 Two pools and a splash pad, including a 14-lane competition pool
🏀 Basketball/pickleball courts and four improved ball fields
🛹 An all-wheels plaza for skateboards, scooters, bikes, roller skates and wheelchairs
🛝 Two children’s play areas and passive-use turf
🏓 Ping-pong, public art and outdoor gathering spaces
💧 Sustainable stormwater features
🏢 A new aquatic center and renovated Mira Mesa Gil Johnson Recreation Center

We’re honored to have worked alongside the City of San Diego, Schmidt Design Group and an outstanding team of consultants, builders and artists to bring this project to life.

Community input was central to the design, helping shape equitable access, gathering spaces and the balance between active and passive recreation. The project also meets the requirements for LEED Silver certification and was completed on time and within the original anticipated budget.

Kudos to everyone who helped make this $55 million project a reality—and, most importantly, to the Mira Mesa community. We’re proud to have helped create a place built to serve generations to come.

10/05/2026

We couldn’t be more thrilled to see the Balboa Park Botanical Building restoration honored by the American Public Works Association (APWA) as the Project of the Year in Historical Restoration/Preservation. It’s a remarkable capstone to a project that has won 13 awards!

• California Preservation Awards – CA Preservation Foundation
• Award of Excellence - California Park & Recreation Society
• Preservation Award - City of San Diego Planning Department
• Design Award – AIA San Diego
• Public Project of the Year – APWA San Diego
• Public Project of the Year – APWA (national)
• People in Preservation – Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO)
• Excellence Award, Historic Preservation category – SEAOSD San Diego
• Excellence Award, Historic Preservation category – SEAOSD national
• Metamorphosis Award – Retrofit Magazine
• Orchid Award – Orchids & Onions, SD Architectural Foundation
• Signature Project Design Award in Design for Historical Preservation – Design Forward Alliance
• Unique Project over $6M – AGC San Diego

Kudos to all the project team:
Clients: City of San Diego, Forever Balboa Park
RFP/Bridging Documents: Roesling Nakamura Terada Architects (RNT), Spurlock Landscape Architects
Design/Build Team: EC Constructors, Platt/Whitelaw Architects, Michael Baker International, Estrada Land Planning, Nan Sterman, Waterwise Gardener, Milford Wayne Donaldson, AB Court Structural Engineering, Degenkolb Engineers, Turpin & Rattan Engineering, Inc., Wiss Janney Elstner Associates (WJE).
Others: Forever Balboa Park, Velo Group

09/30/2026

A property—and its residents—get a new lease on life! We’re proud to have supported the County of San Diego’s Substance Use Residential Treatment Services (SURTS) program through the renovation and repurposing of a two-building property in National City.

We were thrilled to attend its grand opening earlier this month.

The campus transforms a former dormitory into a welcoming behavioral health and recovery center, with 24 resident rooms, private outdoor patios, shared courtyards and common spaces. The project also incorporates ADA upgrades, biophilic design, energy-efficient systems, and an all-electric campus aligned with the County’s decarbonization strategy.

A green-screen patio and raised planters create opportunities for garden therapy, while smart sensors help manage energy use across the buildings.

We’re grateful to the County of San Diego and our incredible project partners for helping bring this important project to life. Most of all, we’re honored to contribute to spaces designed to support recovery, well-being and our community.

Thank you to our outstanding team: KTUA Planning and Landscape Architecture, Turpin & Rattan Engineering, Inc., Aark Engineering, Nasland, WJE and Orness Design Group Inc.!

Read more about the Substance Use Residential & Treatment Services (SURTS) center in National City on our website blog: https://plattwhitelaw.com/designing-for-substance-use-residential-treatment-services/

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08/25/2026

In 2007, as part of a new, 30-acre park, Platt/Whitelaw worked closely for over a year with a community focus group to inform its design of a 10,000-sf community recreation building and 16,000-SF library for the North University City area. Completed through a design-build process, the building earned a LEED Silver certification for sustainable design and construction, it was named APWA Project of the Year, and it earned the ASCE Award of Merit.

08/05/2026

Do you know what Googie-style architecture is? It’s this!

We’re taking a trip back to 1962 when Robert Platt infused elements of car culture and the space age into his mid-century modernist design for San Diego’s North Clairemont Branch Library.

Reflecting the cultural trends of the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s, Googie style often featured bold, futuristic forms and a sense of movement. The style was named after Googie's Coffee Shop in Hollywood.

According to the City of San Diego, the North Clairemont Branch library is included in the self-guided driving tour of Clairemont provided by Save Our Heritage Organization, funded through the City of San Diego's Culture Affairs Department.

07/30/2026

School is almost in session, and we’re excited for the students at Baker Elementary School in San Diego’s Mountain View community to have a new building on campus!

Our design for the building incorporates some of the elements from the campus’ original 1960’s building and the standing seam metal roofing system from the 2000’s buildings to create a cohesive and intentional aesthetic. The new building is next to a park, provides a focal point for the surrounding neighborhood and features a back patio for staff.

Baker students will also return to an updated pickup/drop off area that avoids flood-prone areas and to a new, secure school entrance.

This work is part of a more comprehensive modernization program for the campus that also includes security and safety upgrades, photovoltaics and various interior and exterior improvements. We will continue working with the construction team at Soltek Pacific and San Diego Unified School District through full completion, slated for spring 2027. Thank you to all of our talented consultants! Nasland Engineering, SDSE, Bender Dean Engineering, Turpin & Rattan Engineering, Inc., KTUA Planning and Landscape Architecture, OCMI, Orness Design Group Inc., JensenHughes, Ninyo & Moore Geotechnical & Environmental Consultants. Thank you to Visual Asylum for color, interiors, graphics & signage.
Learn more about this inspirational project on our blog.

Photos by Pablo Mason Photography AIAP

07/23/2026

During the early decades of our firm, single- and multi-family residential design comprised a significant part of our practice.

We love this detailed rendering from Robert Platt, circa 1958. His vision for this residence captures his signature San Diego mid-century modernist style. Note the importance of natural materials and of blending indoor and outdoor elements. Think you could spend an afternoon here relaxing with a Rachel Carson book?

07/21/2026

What an incredible weekend at the 2026 San Diego Pride Parade! 🌈✨ We're so proud to have supported NewSchool of Architecture and Design and their amazing Pride float. Seeing the creativity, teamwork, and spirit of the students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community come together was truly inspiring! Congratulations to everyone who helped make this celebration such a huge success. Thank you, NewSchool, for letting us be part of such a meaningful event!❤️ Happy Pride! San Diego Pride

Address

2251 San Diego Avenue, Suite B-250
San Diego, CA
92110

Telephone

+16195464326

Website

http://www.plattwhitelaw.com/

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