Woo Hon Fai Hall

History

Woo Hon Fai Hall is the former home of the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. The 103,000-square-foot concrete structure opened its doors to the public in 1970. Considered the masterpiece of San Francisco architect Mario Ciampi (1907–2006), the building is often cited as the best application of the midcentury Brutalist style to museum architecture. The building was named Woo Hon Fai Hall in 2011 in honor of the father of David Woo, a Hong Kong–based businessman and Cal alum who began his career as an architect on the Ciampi project.