The former Santa Monica Professional Building, originally built in 1928, has been converted into the Santa Monica Proper Hotel by Howard Lake Architects (HLA).
The city landmark was converted into 55 rooms for the hotel complex. A newly designed seven-story addition, which includes 216 rooms, is linked to the landmark building with a bridge. The ground floor is activated with retail, restaurants, and landscaped paseo, all open to the public.
HLA’s design approach was to contrast the original building’s elegant Spanish Colonial Revival architecture with a free-form new building designed that avoids direct visual competition between the structures. The addition’s curving plan and walls drape around the historic building. The curved wings of the new building angle to harmonize with the 1928 building’s Y-shaped plan, while also contrasting to the faceted, angular shape of the historic building.
Additional team members include Chattel, Inc. (preservation architect), Elysian Landscapes (landscape designer), Kelly Wearstler (interiors), HLB Lighting Design (lighting consultant), Morley Builders (general contractor), Saiful Bouquet Structural Engineers (new building structural engineer), Structural Focus (landmark building structural engineer), KPFF Consulting Engineers (civil engineers), Donald F. Dickerson Associates (MEP engineer), and GAIA (LEED consultant).
Related Stories
Modular Building | Feb 1, 2016
Hotel developers turn to modular construction to meet demand
A $90 million rebuilding project in Yellowstone National Park exemplifies this trend.
Casinos | Jan 30, 2016
Boston ends its opposition to a casino, Wynn to build $1.7B resort
A judge’s ruling last year paved the way for Wynn Resorts to begin construction on a 33-acre gambling palace in Everett, Mass.
Resort Design | Jan 26, 2016
Atlantis planning to build the world’s most expensive resort in Hawaii
The project was first announced in 2005 but has progressed little since.
Hotel Facilities | Jan 19, 2016
8 trends sparking the hospitality sector
Hotels and restaurants are branching out to attract more customers—and hold onto them longer.
| Jan 14, 2016
How to succeed with EIFS: exterior insulation and finish systems
This AIA CES Discovery course discusses the six elements of an EIFS wall assembly; common EIFS failures and how to prevent them; and EIFS and sustainability.
Hotel Facilities | Jan 13, 2016
Hotel construction should remain strong through 2017
More than 100,000 rooms could be delivered this year alone.
Urban Planning | Jan 4, 2016
The next boomtown? Construction and redevelopment sizzle in San Diego
The city's emission-reduction plan could drive influx into downtown
Hotel Facilities | Dec 14, 2015
Greater Fort Lauderdale is enjoying a building boom
This business-friendly South Florida market has several large hotel and multifamily projects in construction.
Greenbuild Report | Dec 14, 2015
Sensible sustainability: The new standard for hotels
In October 2008, The Proximity, a 147-room hotel in Greensboro, N.C., became the first LEED Platinum–certified hotel in the U.S. Since then, only two other hotels have earned LEED Platinum.
Multifamily Housing | Dec 7, 2015
Are long-term apartment rentals Airbnb’s next target?
Some developers are thinking about that possibility, says one West Coast real estate consultant.
