Onion 
The Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center looms over the Chula Vista Bayfront as a 22-story, billion-dollar behemoth that seems entirely disconnected from its coastal surroundings. Despite its ambition as a regional economic catalyst, its architecture falls flat, visually and experientially. Rather than embracing the warmth, vibrancy, or texture of the San Diego harbor, the building’s long, repetitive massing and sterile façade evoke a hospital more than a luxury resort. For a property with sweeping ocean views, the design conveys no sense of place or coastal identity.
The adjacent parking structure, a hulking concrete box, appears as an afterthought, a monolithic slab with minimal articulation. It neither supports walkability nor offers architectural continuity with the main structure or waterfront. Inside, the massive atrium isolates itself from the surrounding environment.
The resort’s scale overwhelms human experience, and its bland curtain wall, rigid geometry, and clinical aesthetic miss a major opportunity to reflect Chula Vista’s unique setting. Instead of anchoring a waterfront renaissance, it stands as a stark reminder of what happens when monumental ambition eclipses contextual and community-oriented design.
Such a missed opportunity in design. The actual hotel itself is beautiful when you are there. But the profile, the silhouette…that could have been something special. You can see this building as you fly into San Diego. It’s in a really iconic, high-profile location and creates the skyline for the area. Could have done something design-incredible, a gorgeous silhouette. Instead, we get a large mass square. Boring.