Studio Building, Berkeley

The Studio Building, located on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley, is a historic landmark with a rich and artistic heritage. Built in 1905, it was one of Berkeley's earliest masonry structures and, for a brief time, the tallest building in downtown. This distinction was short-lived, as the Shattuck Hotel surpassed its height in 1909. The building’s construction marked a shift from the predominance of wood-frame architecture in the area.

Commissioned by Frederick H. Dakin, a real estate investor with interests in gold mining, the building’s design is often attributed to his architect son, Clarence Dakin, or possibly his architect niece, Edna Deakin. Its artistic legacy is underscored by the fact that its fifth floor was originally dedicated to artists' studios and galleries. A large tile mosaic of an artist’s palette, designed by Frederick’s brother, the renowned artist Edwin Deakin, adorns the building's entrance.

Notable for its five-story masonry structure, the building features a distinctive tiled mansard roof and rounded upper-floor window bays. Originally, the first-floor shopfronts were framed by a series of alternating rounded and pointed arches, some of which have since been modified.

The Studio Building was central to Berkeley’s cultural growth, hosting its first art exhibit in 1906 and becoming the founding site of the California College of the Arts in 1907. Early tenants included architect John Hudson Thomas, painters Henry J. Breuer and Evelyn A. Withrow, and photographers Oscar Maurer and Edwin James McCullagh. A performing arts school opened there in 1910.

For much of the 20th century, the building functioned as the Berkeley Hotel. It underwent restoration in the late 1970s and was designated a City of Berkeley Landmark and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Today, the Studio Building stands as a testament to Berkeley’s architectural innovation and vibrant artistic history.