Coronado Club Room & Boathouse

Oooh, that roof! East elevation, overlooking the beach and Glorietta Bay. Photo ©Darren Bradley

This community center was commissioned by the city of Coronado, who asked local architects Hanna Gabriel Wells to provide a space to provide storage for non-motorized watercraft and access to San Diego Bay, and could also host special events and after-school programs. They nailed it. It won an Orchid for the Architecture category of this year's annual Orchids & Onion Awards by the San Diego Architectural Foundation.

The west elevation faces the sun most of the day and also faces the street, so has few windows. Photo ©Darren Bradley

I noticed from the nomination photos submitted, and originally wanted to be the one to photograph it for the ceremony if it was selected. But I already had too much on my plate so I gave it up to another photographer. That fell through at the last minute, so I guess it was fate that I ended up shooting this project, after all.

Just another day at the office for that guy. Photo ©Darren Bradley

Alas, because it was last minute on a tight deadline, I didn't have any time to scout out the project first. I showed up for the first time and started photographing immediately - I needed to get back and process those photos the same morning. I shot most of it just walking around, hand-held...

I'd even look forward to doing the dishes from here. Photo ©Darren Bradley

I really like this project. It has a casual Coronado vibe to it. It's across the street from a masterpiece of Victorian architecture, the fabled Hotel del Coronado. The shingled siding alludes to that traditional style.

But the real star of the show is the post & beam main hall, with its great cantilevered roofline.