Masonry Magazine September 1976 Page. 19
The San Diego Hilton soars upward 8-stories. An excellent example of loadbearing masonry construction.
10 Years Of Progress In...
Modern Loadbearing Masonry Construction
BY JOHN R. MOCK
Part I
Forward
The buildings to be discussed represent only a few of the projects that have been constructed using reinforced concrete block bearing walls since our firm, Hendrick and Mock Architects, designed the 8-story Hanalei Hotel in 1966. (This was the first application of this system over 3-stories in height in the United States).
In the time since the Hanalei construction started ten years ago, this system has become standard for military barracks and has remained the most economical for hotel construction. With the use of pre-stressed concrete planks or slabs, it has also been successfully adapted to apartment and condominium construction.
Given a start and good promotion by the masonry industry the system is ready for competitive use in the medium rise office building market where it can competitively beat a steel frame and curtain wall building 4 ways:
1) By shorter construction time of the structural frame and outside walls: since in masonry they are one in the same.
2) By beauty and flexibility of exposed masonry materials compared to the glass or curtain wall box.