Project Description Museum of Art Facade Reconstruction March 19, 2009

The San Diego Museum of Art on the in was known as the Fine Arts Gallery when it was constructed in 1926. The Museum, designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style by Master Architect William Templeton Johnson, is a contributing building to Balboa Park’s National Historic Landmark District. Reconstruction of the grand frontispiece, or ornamented facade that surrounds the main entry, was the primary focus of this project.

The dramatic ornamentation of the Museum of Art was sculpted by Chris Mueller and his son Chris Jr. The frontispiece includes statues of Spanish painters, Michelangelo’s David, shields of Spain and San Diego, playful cherubs, and a large sea shell above the door. Chris Mueller Jr. would go on to sculpt for Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion and Jungle Boat ride. He also worked in Hollywood and helped sculpt the giant squid from “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” (1954) and the title character from “The Creature from the Black Lagoon” (1954).

For decades the City had attempted to repair the spalling and cracking “cast-stone” ornamentation. The 1926 cast-stone was not “stone” at all; it was made of a concrete mixture poured into molds to simulate carved stone. Pieces of ornament had fallen onto the pavement at the entryway and there were many areas of cracking and spalling. This led the City to construct a plywood barrier across the face of the building that was in place for many years. Despite their best efforts, none of the previous repairs lasted. The failures were due to the poor quality of the original 1926 castings, which were weaker than the patches and continued to deteriorate.

The project consisted of assessing the condition of the ornamentation on the south face of the Museum, make recommendations, and carry out the repairs. The City and Museum wanted a long-term repair that would allow for removal of the plywood barriers. Lab tests of core samples indicated that the cast-stone in the most exposed areas was porous and deteriorating and the steel reinforcing was too close to the surface. Once the reinforcing began to rust it caused the ornamentation to expand and crack. Corrosion testing was also conducted and various methods of preserving the existing pieces of cast-stone were investigated.

The exterior assessment indicated that the ornamentation that needed immediate attention was at the frontispiece, center cornice, and portions of the window surrounds flanking the entry. The bearing wall behind the cast-stone was constructed with hollow clay tile and brick which perform very poorly in an earthquake. This finding was critical because it meant that even if the historic ornamentation was able to be successfully restored in-place, it would be subject to catastrophic failure during a strong seismic event. This is akin to a doctor healing a patient’s cuts while not addressing the broken bones below the skin.

When dealing with historic buildings, the first and best choice is to always “repair rather than replace.” Various methods of preserving the existing ornamentation were investigated. The final conclusion was that the most exposed and deteriorated portions of the facade had to be replicated and reconstructed. Reconstruction also allowed for the hollow clay tile and brick backing wall to be replaced with reinforced concrete; making the entire assembly more resistant to earthquake damage. The recessed shell above the entry doors, the niches with the three statues, the window surrounds, and the cornices were all able to be retained rather than replaced. Refer to the diagram on photo page 4.

The new ornamentation was created from molds made from the original pieces. Replacing cast-stone was a delicate process that required skilled workmen removing the old pieces without causing further damage. The new pieces were made from architectural precast concrete (APC) and matched the historic pieces exactly. Special attention was given to color and texture matching. The reinforcing for the new pieces of ornamentation is stainless steel which will not rust, making the replacements significantly better than the original castings. The new concrete backup wall and a steel support system firmly support the weight of the wall and ornamentation and resist lateral earthquake forces. Roof repairs, upgraded exterior lighting, and the application of a liquid corrosion inhibitor and water repellent were also included in the scope.

Funding for the project was provided by a grant from the State of and supplemental funding came from the City of San Diego. The plywood barriers have now been removed and the ornate frontispiece is stabilized to grace the front entry of the Museum of Art for at least another 83 years. Once again visitors to the Museum can view the majestic frontispiece, uncluttered with protective barriers, and can fully appreciate the look and feeling of the historic 1926 facade.