Made-Over Epiphany Hotel in Palo Alto Wins Design Award

International design firm STEINBERG, formerly known as Steinberg Architects, was awarded two Grand Awards -- one for the Epiphany Hotel in Palo Alto -- by Pacific Coast Builders Conference (PCBC), during the building industry trade show’s 51st Annual Gold Nugget Awards ceremony held last month in San Francisco. 

STEINBERG won Grand Awards for Best Rehab Commercial/Industrial Project for The Epiphany Hotel in Palo Alto, and Best Senior Housing Community for Heritage Square Senior Community in Pasadena. 

The dilapidated Casa Olga, an eight-story apartment building in downtown Palo Alto was transformed into a hip boutique hotel named The Epiphany. 

The ill-proportioned structure got a contemporary makeover via a warm new wrapper of metal cladding printed to look like wood. 

Featuring an indoor-outdoor work lounge and an 80-seat restaurant and bar, the new 86-room hotel captures the high-tech entrepreneurial energy of Silicon Valley with the understated, laid-back culture of Palo Alto. 

“The hotel’s aesthetic vision ties into Palo Alto’s commitment to nature and health by using raw, rustic and natural materials,” said Rob Steinberg, FAIA, chairman, STEINBERG. “As a result, the spirit of the new hotel captures that of Palo Alto itself: a community oriented, residential and pedestrian scale town where health, nature and design are highly valued.” 

STEINBERG also garnered eight Award of Merit honors for residential and mixed-use developments in California and China, including:

·      The Epiphany Hotel, Palo Alto (Rehab Commercial/Industrial Project);

·      Heritage Square Senior Community, Pasadena (Senior Housing Community - On the Boards);

·      Palo Alto Commons, Palo Alto (Senior Housing Community - On the Boards);

·      Tianjin Mingzhong Mixed Use Development, Tianjin, China (International On the Boards Project);

·      The Pierce, San Jose (On the Boards Multi-Family Community - over 100 Du/Acre);

·      The Waverly, Forest City, Calif. (On the Boards Mixed Use Project); and,

·      Walnut Creek Transit Village – Parcel II & III, Walnut Creek, Calif., (On the Boards Mixed Use Project andOn the Boards Multi-Family Community - over 100 Du/Acre). 

The Gold Nugget Awards are a centerpiece of PCBC, the building industry's leading conference, trade show and meeting place, born from American Builder in 1963. The award recognizes builders, developers, architects, and land planners, with communities and projects in the United States and all international countries that have achieved excellence and innovation in addressing complex design/build issues.