Left to right: Mattingly Thaler Architecture, Gensler, Mattingly Thaler Architecture. Photos by Steve Shephard.In 1990, the Junior League of Palo Alto took on a new project and crafted what would become the mid-peninsula chapter of an organization called Christmas in April—now Rebuilding Together Peninsula. Rebuilding Together is a nation-wide, non-profit, community based organization built primarily of volunteer labor. Its goal is the rehabilitation of homes and community centers for low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled. The peninsula chapter works in the area between Sunnyvale and Daly City, rehabilitating fifty homes and fifteen other non-profit facilities per year. To do this, a staff of four— including Executive Director Loretta Cullinane, who is also an architect—marshals the forces of 5,000 volunteers, who come together on one weekend in April (hence the original name) and achieve what many would call miracles. In one weekend, dilapidated buildings are re-roofed, repainted, made handicapped accessible, outfitted with energy efficient appliances and heaters, and more—all to keep their occupants warm, safe, and dry.
Junior League members Gayle Rimerman and architect Nancy Harris Wyatt were instrumental in turning the League project into a stand-alone, non-profit agency. They helped with the creation of a board of directors and the hiring of an executive director. After the new non-profit had operated for a year, they realized that they needed to raise funds to cover overhead. While sponsorships from local businesses covered materials for the volunteers, Christmas in April also needed funds for operating expenses and for growing the program. Gayle and Nancy were charged with the task of creating a fundraising event; their brainchild was Dreams Happen, a gala party and playhouse auction.
The first Dreams Happen Auction took place in June of 1993 at Stanford Shopping Center. Gayle and Nancy, assisted by other League members, rounded up architects and builders willing to donate time and materials. That year twelve architect/ builder teams designed and built twelve fanciful playhouses, wheedling material donations from a host of local businesses. The financial success of the first auction, netting $102,400, turned Dreams Happen into a biennial event. Now in its tenth year, with six playhouse auctions under it’s belt, Dreams Happen has raised over $1.14 million for Rebuilding Together Peninsula.
The average playhouse has an eight by ten footprint and is twelve feet tall. Size and weight are dictated by height limits on local roads and inside the shopping center, plus the amount the average fork lift can handle. Miniatures predominate, and themes over the years have included a Doggie Diner, Fire House, General Store, Lunar Landing Module, Japanese Tea Pavilion, Observatory, Lighthouse, many whimsical Victorians, and more abstract themes. The playhouses are on display for several weeks in June at Stanford Shopping Center, where they are viewed by an estimated 1 million people.
For more information, go to www.rebuildingtogetherpeninsula.org.
Author Judith Mattingly is a principal with Mattingly Thaler Architecture in San Francisco. She is currently working on a screenplay about the world of architectural publishing.
Originally published 4th quarter 2003, in arcCA 03.4, “Reflect Renew.”
