Anacapa Architecture


This 45-key boutique hotel in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara a modern reincarnation of a 20th-century hotel that once lived in this space. Standing for over 100 years, it is one of the only downtown survivors of the local 1925 earthquake. We created a space for locals and travelers, returning its purpose to hospitality while preserving and salvaging the white stucco walls, arched windows, and terracotta tiles. The architectural bones of the building had minor shoring work done over the years. However, extensive work was needed to retain the masonry walls, adding rebar, shotcrete, and steel frames to ensure the building was prepared for its new life. Through this process, the team determined materials that could be salvaged for repurposed use, with the original wood framing repurposed for the walls and aesthetics within the penthouse and behind the headboards within each room. We wanted to do the unexpected and provide a youthful look contrasting the exterior Mediterranean architecture while preserving the historic structure. In contrast, the modern interiors break this traditional design mold, with black as the main accent, complemented by concrete and wood—bringing a new life to this space as a hotel, coffee shop, and cocktail bar.