H O M E

Strawberry Creek Design Center is a community of creative businesses: architects, artists, craftspeople, movie & video producers, graphic designers, multimedia & software developers and other creative startups. It is contained in a renovated complex of historic landmark buildings at 1250 Addison Street in Berkeley. It overlooks a park and sits alongside Strawberry Creek, which was unearthed from culverts and restored to its natural state.

A small bakery-café faces the park where neighbors and people from the Center can gather. Mother's and their kids play in the park. Elderly people from the senior center walk to the café for tea. Architects and artists meet with their clients in the café. Teachers and parents from the nearby Montessori school stop by to get a coffee and chat with their friends. Workers from the complex and neighbors take lunch on the grass.

The complex has been completely renovated and converted into smaller office and studio spaces for design professionals, craftspeople, artists, video producers, software developers and the others. It provides a lively and affordable environment that has stimulated and nurtured many creative enterprises and startup businesses. Over 40 small businesses operate there, employing over 100 people. During Pro Arts Open Studios it has more participants than any other complex in the East Bay.


The building is a historic landmark. Its renovation was honored with an award for outstanding adaptive reuse by the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association. Over the years the complex housed Cooper Woodworking, the Sperry Flour Company, the American Photoplayer Company and various other industrial and manufacturing enterprises. The industries declined and in 1987 Huck Rorick & Phil Lovett renovated the complex and adapted it for reuse as the Strawberry Creek Design Center. The building received full seismic reinforcement which was carefully done in a manner that preserves the historical character and aesthetics of the buildings. No changes are visible in the façade and interior changes were done in the style of the building. Most people don't know that it has been retrofitted.

Huck Rorick & Phil Lovett cooperated in the design and construction of the Design Center with Huck taking the lead in design and Phil in construction.