Join us for a Design Excellence project tour of the 2021/2022 AIA San Diego Design Awards celebration venue The Guild Hotel.
The tour will be led by Matthew Ellis, AIA principal at PGAL, project architects of the renovation of the hotel and BWE Principal Associate, Nolan Huelsman, PE, QSD, QSP, on the civil, land surveying, and laser scanning aspects of this great reuse project.
Registration is closed
About the Project
Formerly the Historic YMCA, constructed in the 1920s, the renovation/conversion of this downtown structure highlights the building’s rich historical character while transforming it into a modern, high-end hotel, lounge, and restaurant.
The exterior facade has been restored to feature its historical terracotta and custom iron detailing, and many new amenities have been added to the interior spaces.
Guests are greeted at the entry by the modern Guild Bar, which features custom millwork detailing, Brazilian leathered quartzite counters and backbar, and a hand-torched herringbone floor. Flanking the lounge is the hotel’s full-service restaurant, Luca, which includes an outdoor courtyard dining room featuring a custom-designed outdoor fireplace, black and white color palette, lush greenery, and mirrors that mimic the building’s historic windows.
The Guild’s guestrooms feature exposed concrete ceilings and custom built-in furniture that pays homage to the YMCA’s past life. Guests can also enjoy an outdoor courtyard, Grace Garden, where an assortment of flexible lounge seating is encompassed by an abundant mix of olive and evergreen trees, leafy plants, and shrubs, which create a unique urban oasis in the center of the central business district. At night, the garden is alight with custom-designed lighting for an ethereal, unexpected retreat surrounded by open-air views of the sky above.
Civil Engineering / Surveying: BWE
Project Architect/Designer:
PGAL+ Sormeh Rienne
Image Credit:
Scott Murphy; Stephen Whalen Photography; Robert Benson
