Hilton Foundation Headquarters Wins Top Honors at L.A. Architectural Awards

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Headquarters in Agoura Hills has won the grand prize at this year's Los Angeles Architectural Awards.

The Platinum LEED-certified, 22,240-square-foot building took top honors because of its solar energy panels, water collection systems and green roof. The entire structure is designed to maximize the use of natural daylight. 

"We are grateful to the Los Angeles Business Council for recognizing the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Headquarters with its Grand Prize design award this year," said Ted Hyman, FAIA, a Partner with ZGF Architects LLP. "It is highly rewarding to know that others appreciate this special, high-performance building that is discretely tucked into the landscape of Agoura Hills. It continues to be a great source of pride for all of the team members involved."

Patrick J. Modugno, Vice President of Administration and Chief Financial Officer at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, said he is pleased to have worked with "an amazing team of talented people" on the project. 

“It was particularly gratifying to attend the award ceremony and witness the industry acknowledgement of their accomplishments," he said. "It is an added joy to be able to work in such a cutting edge building in carrying out our philanthropic mission."

The awards ceremony, held Wednesday afternoon, is considered one of the largest celebrations of cutting-edge design and architecture in Southern California. 

Approximately three dozen buildings from throughout the region were recognized for their excellence in design, commitment to sustainability and impact on the community.

Dwell Media President Michela O’Connor Abrams emceed the event, which drew more than 500 design and building professionals.  

Other notable awards included the Sunnylands Center & Gardens at the Annenberg Retreat, in the “Best of L.A. Architects” category, which will host a summit between President Obama and Chinese President Xi later this week; and in the Design Concept Category, the Sixth Street Viaduct at the Los Angeles River. At the close of the ceremony, architectural icon Ray Kappe was honored with the L.A. Architectural Lifetime Achievement Award. 

“Every year, we take this opportunity to celebrate truly outstanding design projects that demonstrate an unyielding commitment to the environment, stimulate the economy and enhance our overall quality of life in greater Los Angeles,” said Mary Leslie, President of the Los Angeles Business Council, which hosted the event. “Today’s winners illustrate that Los Angeles continues to be a global hub for creative, meaningful and sustainable architecture.”