The Shangri-La hotel, designed in 1939 by William Foster, was named for the earthly paradise described in James Hilton's 1933 novel Lost Horizon. The poured-in-place concrete structure is excellent example of modernist art deco and was the first Class A apartment building constructed in Los Angeles following the Great Depression. After decades of various uses as a hotel, boarding house, and air force rehab station during WWII, a comprehensive renovation was needed. Structural challenges included strengthening the 1930s era concrete for new gravity and seismic loads using carbon fiber as well as creating a tightly integrated patio structure above an existing thin-decked parking garage. Upon completion, the designated historic landmark in Santa Monica won an "Excellence in Engineering" award from the Structural Engineers Association of Southern California.
Architecture: HLW International
Engineering: executed while at Structural Focus
Contractor: Omnibuild
Awards: SEAOSC "Excellence in Engineering"