Rising 450 feet and 36 stories high, this guitar-shaped hotel is the centerpiece of the Hard Rock complex. Construction commenced in 2017, and the hotel officially welcomed its first guests in October 2019. The sheer ambition of creating a hotel in the shape of a guitar demanded exceptional planning and execution from all involved.
The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Guitar ShapeThe iconic guitar shape of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, a landmark in Florida architecture and engineering.
Baker Concrete Construction and Liberty Conshor Joint Venture team played a pivotal role, pouring over 80,000 cubic yards of concrete for the entire expansion, with over 40,000 cubic yards specifically for the Guitar Hotel Florida structure. RayC Southern, Operations Manager, South Florida at Baker Concrete Construction Inc., explained the vision behind this unique structure: “The idea behind the East Tower, or the guitar-shaped hotel, was to create an iconic landmark to represent the Hard Rock’s executive home base in Hollywood, Florida.”
The Seminole Tribe opted for a fully guitar-shaped structure after considering various designs, moving away from simpler concepts of rectangular buildings with guitar facades. Architect firm Klai Juba Wald and Desimone Consulting Engineers collaborated closely, navigating the constraints of budget, schedule, and the desired number of hotel rooms. Achieving the guitar silhouette meant employing varying floor sizes, causing exterior columns to slope by as much as 40 degrees at the curves.
Bill O’Donnell, Partner and Principal at Desimone, highlighted the structural challenges posed by these sloping columns. The horizontal forces generated significant thrust loads that required careful management. “The horizontal forces from the sloping columns create significant thrust loads, which are redirected back into the floor and shear walls with additional thrust reinforcing,” O’Donnell stated, emphasizing the complexity of the structural engineering.
Slab thickness was another critical design element, particularly due to height restrictions imposed by a nearby airport. The design team focused on maximizing vertical space by minimizing slab thickness. “As the height of the hotel was limited by a nearby airport’s restrictions, that design team attempted to save inches by reducing the slab thicknesses. This was achieved by designing post tensioned slab with enough reinforcing to get the slabs between 9 and 12 inches thick,” Southern detailed, explaining how post-tensioned slabs helped optimize space without compromising structural integrity.
Effective planning, open communication, and strong collaboration were paramount for the success of this untraditional construction project. Baker Concrete Construction emphasized the importance of suppliers like Cemex, which provided over 40,000 cubic yards of ready-mix concrete. This partnership ensured timely concrete pours, helping keep the Guitar Hotel Florida project ahead of schedule.
Jaime Muguiro, CEMEX USA President, expressed pride in their contribution: “CEMEX was honored to participate in this extremely unique project that will quickly become an icon of South Florida. We are proud to have contributed our high-quality materials to another eye-catching structure that will be enjoyed for years to come.” Jeff Bobolts, CEMEX USA Regional President—Florida Region, further noted CEMEX’s capacity to handle such demanding projects thanks to their extensive network and experience in Florida. He pointed out the high specifications of the concrete used, including 10,000 psi columns and 7200 psi decks, highlighting CEMEX’s familiarity with such requirements in the South Florida market.
Safety remained a top priority throughout the construction. Daily safety meetings were conducted by the Hard Rock project team, underscoring the commitment to a safe working environment. Southern emphasized, “Every morning, the Hard Rock project team and foremen would sit down and begin the day with the morning meeting. The very first thing our team talks about, regardless of what is going on in the world, is always safety on the jobsite.” These meetings also covered production, quality, and schedule goals, ensuring team alignment and accountability.
The Guitar Hotel Florida presented unique challenges due to its complex shape and tight schedule. While incorporating conventional elements like shear walls, post-tensioned slabs, and reinforced columns, the guitar’s curves necessitated advanced designs for the sloped columns. “This design required Baker to incorporate innovative construction methods that would allow the sloped columns to remain fully supported during the construction process by using a complex system of cantilevered bracing that would span multiple floors,” Southern explained.
The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Guitar ShapeConstruction advancements and meticulous planning were essential in realizing the Guitar Hotel Florida design.
Baker’s team was also responsible for installing over 180 embeds on each floor, requiring meticulous coordination with other trades to guarantee precision. The slab edges were equally critical, guiding the curtain wall system and the placement of 7,000 embeds for anchoring the curtain wall panels. Southern proudly noted the accuracy achieved, with only two embeds requiring rework, largely attributed to the implementation of iPad technology for real-time drawing updates and document control.
Meeting the Super Bowl 2020 deadline added further pressure. The structure had to be completed before the arrival of custom curtain walls from overseas. Delays in the mat foundation pour and the design complexities intensified the challenge. To maintain schedule, innovative strategies were employed, including a self-climbing formwork system for the core walls. This hydraulic jacking system allowed efficient hoisting of the core wall formwork, maximizing tower crane utilization for other tasks.
Concrete pumping efficiency was also enhanced by mounting a placing boom on the self-climbing core. This elevated boom facilitated pouring of cores, columns, and decks from above, reaching all areas, regardless of floor size variations. Southern concluded, “With these techniques, Baker was able to achieve a five-day cycle despite the fluctuating floor sizes,” highlighting the remarkable efficiency achieved in constructing this iconic Guitar Hotel Florida. The Guitar Hotel Florida stands not only as a luxury destination but also as an enduring symbol of architectural and engineering ingenuity.
