Awards & Recognition
Rutherford + Chekene projects have been recognized for innovation, sustainability, seismic resilience, and design excellence across civic, higher education, healthcare, and community-focused work.
Cañada College Science and Technology Building
- AIA Central Valley Chapter, Award of Merit, 2021
- Design-Build Institute of America Western Pacific Region, 14th Annual Design-Build Leadership Awards program, Award of Merit, 2020
College of San Mateo Science Building and Planetarium
- Design-Build Institute of America, Western Pacific Regional Excellence Award, 2008
- California Construction magazine, Best of 2007 Northern California, Higher Education, Award of Merit
Contra Costa College New Science Building
- California Community Colleges Board of Governors Energy and Sustainability Award, 2021
CSU Chico Natural Sciences Building
- Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), Western Pacific Region, Regional Design-Build Award, 2022
- AIA Central Valley, Design Award, 2021
- American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Sacramento Section, Outstanding Architectural Engineering Award, 2020
EmeryStation East Laboratory
- AIA East Bay Design Awards, Citation for Architecture, 2009
Ferry Building Renovation and Retrofit
- California Preservation Foundation Design Award, (Recognition of Outstanding Achievement in Historic Preservation), 2004
- AIA SF Design Award, Honor Award, 2004
- Outstanding Civil Engineering Project Award, American Society of Civil Engineers, Golden Gate Branch, San Francisco Section
Fort Mason Pier 2 Rehabilitation
- California Preservation Foundation Preservation Design Award – Rehabilitation, 2015
Judicial Council of California, Glenn County Courthouse Renovation/Expansion
- California Preservation Foundation Preservation Design Award – Rehabilitatio, 2025
Judicial Council of California Hollister (San Benito County) Courthouse
- AIA Academy of Architecture for Justice, Citation Award
- SEAONC Excellence in Structural Engineering Award of Merit – New Construction
Judicial Council of California Old Solano Courthouse
- California Preservation Award, Rehabiliation - California Preservation Foundation, 2015
- SEAONC Excellence in Structural Engineering, Award of Merit
Kaiser Permanente Medical Center San Leandro
- ENR California Best Projects Award of Merit – Health Care, 2014
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab Chu Hall
- AIA SF Design Awards, Honor Award, 2016
- AIA East Bay Design Award, Merit Award, 2015
- ENR Northern California Award, Best Project: Higher Education/Research, 2015
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Integrative Genomics Building (IGB)
- SEAONC Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards, Project of the Year, 2021
- The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design, Green GOOD DESIGN® Award, 2021
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) Welcome Center
- Society of American Military Engineers, Merit Design Award, 2026
McEnery Convention Center Expansion and Renovation
- ENR California Best Project - Sports/Entertainment, 2014
Mills College Music Building Renovation
- California Preservation Design Award, 2009
- SPUR/AIA Committee on Architecture for Education, Excellence in Architecture for Restoration and Preservation, Merit Award, 2009
Mills-Peninsula Medical Center
- SEAONC Excellence in Structural Engineering, Award of Merit – New Construction
- SEAOC Award of Merit – Landmark Structures, 2013
Monterey Bay Aquarium Bechtel Family Center for Ocean Education and Leadership
- ENR California Best Project - Cultural/Worship, 2019
- AIA San Francisco Architecture Citation Award, 2020
- World Architecture News Awards, Concrete in Architecture, Bronze, 2020
- World Architecture News Awards, Waterfront Projects, 2020
- AIA Monterey Bay, Honor Award, 2019
New Exploratorium
- SEAONC Excellence in Structural Engineering, Award of Excellence – Retrofit/Alteration, 2013
- SEAOC Excellence in Structural Engineering, Award of Merit – Landmark Structures, 2013
- ENR California Top Green Project of Northern California, 2013
- Sustainable Engineering Project of the Year, American Society of Civil Engineers, San Francisco Section, 2013
- California Preservation Foundation Design Award, 2014
- AIA San Francisco Design Awards, Special Commendation, 2015
New Stanford Hospital
- ENR California Regional Best Project - Health Care, 2020
Oakland International Airport Terminal 1 Renovation
- SEAONC Excellence in Structural Engineering, Award of Merit, 2018
Pleasant Hill Library
- AIA/ALA Library Building Award, 2024
- AIA California Design Award of Merit, 2024
- Library Design Showcase, 2024
- AIA California Urban Design Award, 2024
- Architect's Newspaper Best of Design Silver Medal, 2024
- AIA East Bay Design Award, 2024
- IIDA Northern California Honor Award, 2024
- IIDA Northern California Chapter Design Award, "Serve", 2024
- ALA/IIDA Library Interior Design Award, 2024
- ASLA-NCC Merit Award, Community Impact Category, 2024
Pomona College Pomona-Pitzer Center for Athletics, Recreation and Wellness
- Pacific Coast Builders Conference Gold Nugget Awards, Grand Award – Best Recreation Use Project, 2024
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San Francisco International Airport Harvey Milk Terminal 1 Boarding Area B
- UNESCO Prix Versailles Award, Highest Honor, 2025
- Concrete Innovations Award Winner, 2024
- AIA California Design Awards, Climate Action Award, 2022
San Francisco International Airport New Air Traffic Control Tower
- SEAONC Excellence in Structural Engineering, Award of Excellence, Landmark, 2016
- SEAOC Excellence in Structural Engineering, Award of Excellence, Landmark, 2016
- NCSEA Excellence in Structural Engineering, Outstanding Project (New Buildings Over $100 Million), 2016
- Grand Conceptor Award Winner, American Council of Engineering Companies, 2016
San Francisco State University Science and Engineering Innovation Center
- San Francisco Business Times Real Estate Deal of the Year, 2025
San Francisco State University West Grove Commons Affordable Housing and Student Health Center Project
- ENR West Best Projects, Award of Merit in Higher Education/Research, 2025
Santa Rosa Junior College Lindley Center for STEM Education
- SCUP/AIA-CAE, Excellence in Architecture, New Building (Honorable Mention) (SmithGroup), 2026
Sonoma State University Stevenson Hall Renovation
- SEAONC Structural Engineering Excellence (SEE) Award of Merit, Retrofit, Alteration, and Historic Preservation
- DBIA Western Pacific Region Innovation Award, 2024
- DBIA Western Pacific Region Design Excellence Award, 2024
- IIDA Northern California Serve Award Finalist, 2024
- IIDA Northern California Long View Award Finalist, 2024
Stanford Central Energy Facility
- ENR Global Best Project, Best Green Project, 2016
- AIA San Francisco Design Award, Honor Award, 2016
- SEAONC Excellence in Structural Engineering, Award of Merit, Infrastructure, 2016
- SEAOC Excellence in Structural Engineering, Award of Merit, Infrastructure, 2016
- ENR Northern California Best Project, Energy/Industrial, 2015
- AIA Portland Architecture Awards, Citation Award, 2015
Stanford University Graduate School of Education Renovation
- SEAONC Award of Merit, 2026
- SEAONC People’s Choice Award, 2026
Stanford University Windhover Contemplative Center
- Northern California Chapter ASLA Award, Honor Award, 2017
- San Francisco AIA Design Award, Merit Award, 2015
UC Berkeley CV Starr East Asian Library
- Structural Engineers Association of Northern California, Excellence in Structural Engineering, Award of Merit, 2009
- AIA California Council Design Award, Honor Award, 2010
- AIA/ALA Library Building Award, 2009
- AIA New York Architecture Honor Award, 2011
UC Berkeley Innovative Genomics Building
- AIA East Bay Design Award, Citation Award, 2015
- Overall Best Sustainable Design, Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Best Practice Awards, 2012
- IIDA Honor Award, 2013
- Berkeley Design Advocates, 10th Biennial Design Awards, 2013
UC Berkeley Lower Sproul Redevelopment Project
- SCUP, Jury's Choice Award for Outstanding Achievement in Integrated Planning and Design, 2017
- AIA East Bay Berkeley Design Advocates Award, 2017
- SEAONC Excellence in Structural Engineering, Award of Merit, Retrofit/Alteration, 2016
- SEAOC Excellence in Structural Engineering, Award of Merit, Retrofit/Alteration, 2016
UC Berkeley Units 1 and 2 Infill Housing
- California Construction, Best of 2005 Award
UC Davis Gallagher Hall and Conference Center
- AIA San Francisco Design Award, Energy + Sustainability, Merit Award, 2010
- SEAONC Excellence in Structural Engineering, Award of Merit, Sustainable Design, 2010
- BUILDER Magazine Builder's Choice Award, 2010
- Western Council of Construction Consumers, Exceptional Award for Building, 2010
- Pacific Coast Builders Conference Gold Nugget Awards, Award of Merit, Best Office/Professional Building, 2010
- AIA TAP Building Information Model Awards, Honorable Mention, 2010
- Sacramento Business Journal Real Estate Projects of the Year, Finalist, 2010
UC Davis Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art
- SEAONC Excellence in Structural Engineering Award, 2017
- AISC IDEAS Award, Merit Award, 2018
- San Francisco AIA Design Award, Merit Award, 2017
- Architecture Green GOOD DESIGN, Merit Award, 2018
UC San Francisco Bakar Precision Cancer Medicine Building
- ENR California Regional Best Project, Health Care, Award of Merit, 2020
UC San Francisco Bayfront Medical Building
- ENR West Best Projects, Award of Merit, Health Care, 2025
UC San Francisco Cardiovascular Research Building
- ENR Northern California Award, Best Project: Higher Education/Research, 2012
UC San Francisco Medical Center at Mission Bay
- SEAOC Excellence in Structural Engineering, Award of Merit, Sustainable Design, 2016
- SEAONC Excellence in Structural Engineering, Award of Merit, Alternative Project Delivery, 2016
- ENR Northern California Award, Best Project: Health Care, 2015
- ENR National Award, Best Project: Health Care, 2015
- Precast Concrete Institute, Healthcare/Medical Building Award, 2016
- American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) Vista Award, New Construction, 2017
