US Vets Wadsworth chapel

Los Angeles, CA

Year Built 1900

SF 10,000

Client

ARC | KPFF

Services

As-Built Documentation - Laser scan registration and 3D modeling


A classic example of Victorian Architecture designed by James Lee Burton, the Wadsworth Chapel is still standing after 5 decades of neglect. The condition of the building has been slowly deteriorating since the 1971 Sylmar Earthquake.

RC Monkeys was part of a multidisciplinary team to help restore this magnificent building to its original state, as a place of spiritual healing and respite for the veterans that pass through its doors.

Having two chapels under the same roof (Protestant and Catholic) makes this building a unique piece of architecture. Named after the home’s first Chief Medical Officer, Major James Wadsworth, the chapel is the second oldest building on the property of West LA VA Campus and is the oldest building on Wilshire Blvd.

Our team was responsible for the registration of the 3D scan data captured by our partner in California, and for developing an as-built Revit model.

The biggest challenge that we had to overcome was achieving LOD300 for most of the building components without having any record drawings. The extensive interior and exterior damage allowed us to examine most of the building components behind architectural finishes. Thus, we collected a vast amount of field notes that helped achieve the desired LOD for 95% of the building.

Despite its relatively small square footage, the chapel had a large number of unique architectural details, including over 30 different types of windows. Two hundred and fifty-six custom Revit families were developed in order to assemble the as-built model.

We recognize the importance of having a complete understanding of the field conditions before any design project begins. Thus, we made sure the as-built model included information on any visible structural deflection. Also, elements that were partially or totally damaged were tagged in the final deliverable.

Key Characteristics

  • Seamless integration with client’s standards

  • The model included realistic materials

  • 95% of the building modeled at LOD300

  • 256 custom Revit Families