San Diego Air and Space Museum

2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA

Historically known as the Ford Building, the San Diego Air and Space Museum was constructed in 1935. It was built by the Ford Motor Company to serve as their exhibition building for the California Pacific International Exposition. Heritage designed the San Diego Air and Space Museum Courtyard Cover as a free-spanning fabric canopy that encloses the former open-air courtyard. The cover is constructed of Teflon-coated fiberglass fabric stretched over a domed steel space frame. The canopy is independently supported on twelve concrete columns and is topped by a 38-foot diameter skylight that provides views to the sky.

The San Diego Air and Space Museum Courtyard Cover spans over the 22,000 square foot courtyard. The historic Ford “V8” fountain, landscaping, and light fixtures were maintained and restored within the courtyard. The Ford Building is part of the Balboa Park National Historic Landmark District and the addition of the courtyard cover complies with The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards. The cover was designed so it would not be visible to park patrons from the building’s exterior. The completed “Pavilion of Flight” courtyard cover floats above the historic courtyard like a cloud of steel and fabric, creating a space as dramatic as the aircraft it protects.

Heritage Architecture & Planning has provided design services for other improvements at the building. The main entry and gift shop were redesigned. A new café was designed within the historic interior of the building for use by patrons and staff. The museum’s library expansion and relocation was also studied.