Thursday, January 25, 2018
/ 4:30PM – 6:30PM

Santa Monica

Design Architect:
Gwynne Pugh Urban Studio

Executive Architect:
Gene Fong Associates

Interior Design:
Studio HBA

Project Owner:
OTO Development

$25 for Members

$35 to the Public

Take a guided tour of two hotels that anchor a popular esplanade while also taking into account the Metro station across the street. Each has its on identity, but both structures provide extensive daylight and cross-ventilation for guests and visitors.

The unique project site serves as a vital entry point to downtown Santa Monica, greeting riders of the Expo Line and motorists exiting the freeway, while also sitting blocks away from numerous tourist attractions. We were hired to design two hotels that would work both aesthetically and functionally, anchoring a popular new esplanade while also taking into account the Metro station across the street.

While both structures share some design traits – such as their interior courts that provide for daylight and cross-ventilation – it was important that each have its own identity.

The orange metal panels on the Courtyard by Marriott give the hotel its dramatic presence, while slight color variation within the panels adds texture, rhythm, and dynamism. The Hampton Inn & Suites, with its sea foam green tower, makes a striking contrast to its neighbor across the street. This juxtaposition is purposeful and is meant to symbolize the contrast between the ocean and the land. While the hotels wear familiar brands, their unique designs give them an upscale, boutique-like feel. Together the hotels act as a new gateway to the City, greeting residents and visitors alike as fresh icons of the Santa Monica skyline.

Gwynne Pugh, FAIA
(Gwynne Pugh Urban Studio)

David Dunphy, AIA

Gene Fong, AIA
(Gene Fong Associates, now AXIS/GFA Architecture + Design)