A monument to wellness.

Throughout the complex there is a skillful synthesis of traditional and modern, of East and West: from ceiling rosettes of applied molding inspired by the 18th-century work of Scottish architect Robert Adam, to sleek glass sculptures of contemporary artist James Nowak; from antique Japanese silk screens and kimonos to intricately carved European console tables and cupboards

On March 13, 2004, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joined David H. Murdock to break ground on an unprecedented venture. "This is going to be an extraordinary center," Schwarzenegger said at the time. Less than three years, almost $400 million and over two million man-hours later, the Governor's prediction is proving prescient. On November 30, 2006, the doors opened to the 700,000-square-foot complex that includes the California WellBeing Institute, a premier diagnostic medical clinic, a 270-room Four Seasons Hotel, world-class spa, meeting facilities and a state-of-the-art television production studio.

Murdock gathered a diverse team of architects, engineers, contractors, landscape designers, interior decorators, artists--including several veterans with experience working with the owner. One such veteran is Murdock's chief architect, Arnold Savrann, who created the design layout for the grounds, the building and the interior. Savrann used the owner's favorite "sunset red" bricks. These come from Murdock's Pacific Clay Company; and have been used in sites as diverse as Murdock Plaza in downtown Los Angeles, Sherwood Country Club, Dole Headquarters, and the owner's Ventura Farms, all of which Savrann worked on over the course of his 20-year collaboration with the owner. Savrann describes the new building as "a blend of contemporary and classical themes." An accomplished artist in his own right, Savrann's oil paintings grace many public and private spaces within the facility.

Another member of Murdock's seasoned team is Jaime Zamora, who maintains the owner's 2,200-acre Ventura estate. Zamora recounts how he and Murdock made a trip to northern California in search of the perfect trees to create a majestic backdrop for the 20-acre site.

"He bought ninety trees just like that. All kinds of trees: sequoias, flowering cherry trees, maples, magnolia, jacaranda, wisteria vines," says Zamora, who helped to oversee various aspects of the landscaping, from the five miles of irrigation pipes to the planting of 25,000 plants--ranging from shrubs to roses to seasonal flowers--all in nine months.

Murdock also traveled to Thailand where he found monumental boulders beneath the River Kwai, which he then transported back to California. "I personally picked them out," he says. "I flew over six to eight times just to see my boulders." The nine boulders incorporated into the Westlake Village complex range from two to 20 tons. One of the most striking pieces is actually the interior centerpiece of the California WellBeing Institute, appearing to float on the surface of a meditation pond, like a massive, primeval predecessor to the fantastic works of Henry Moore.

Equally impressive is the Poet's House Pagoda: a completely authentic structure created by a team of 18 Chinese artisans who assembled, disassembled then reassembled the parts on the premises. Guests reach the pagoda via a classically designed arched bridge spanning a pond filled with marigold-hued koi.

Steve Matt of Matt Construction is another key player who brought a long history of working with the owner to bear on the Westlake Village project. His father worked with Mr. Murdock twenty years ago in constructing Westwood's Murdock Plaza, and Matt built Dole World Headquarters nearly a decade ago.

Despite experiencing a near record rainfall (38 inches) during the first winter of construction, Matt says the biggest challenge was "the sheer size of the project," in terms of "organizing and developing lines of communication for delivering the design, procuring the materials and completing the construction. Make no mistake about it: teamwork and talented, dedicated people played a very important role."

Project Manager Dave Maffit identifies other challenges overcome with teamwork, such as proximity to the 101 Freeway. "We dealt with the problem in a variety of ways. The primary credit goes to our acoustical engineers who are Veneklasen and Associates, who did several things, including consulting with us on the sound wall and designing a different kind of glazing system for different parts of the building--for example, windows that would withstand noise so that the rooms are extremely quiet."

"We also got a benefit from the water feature--essentially a 12-foot waterfall--that creates a lot of white noise. And there are quite a few trees--all of this works together to dampen outside noise. We also designed the grounds so that the features that are of most interest to the clients are farthest away from the noise."

Over the course of the project, the word "teamwork" encompassed 4,000 total onsite workers, with an average daily manpower of 350 and a peak daily manpower of 710 workers, responsible for such mind-boggling feats of construction and engineering as the removal of over 200,000 cubic yards of soil, the pouring of nearly 40,000 cubic yards of concrete, the installation of 11,000 feet of storm drain piping, 65,000 square feet of ceramic tile, 40,000 square feet of wood flooring, 1,800 doors, 14,500 light fixtures and nearly 45,000 yards of wall covering.

Inside the building, Savrann worked with the owner and a team of designers to create an interior that encompasses very traditional design, with a strong emphasis on Regency style. Rich woods, along with the generous use of rare marble and semi-precious stone, impart a timeless sense of stately grandeur and comfort. Savrann resists pigeonholing the design too narrowly, and from the moment one pulls up along the brick and quartz drive, and steps into the airy, vaulted reception area, it's easy to understand why.

Throughout the complex there is a skillful synthesis of traditional and modern, of East and West: from ceiling rosettes of applied molding inspired by the 18th-century work of Scottish architect Robert Adam, to sleek glass sculptures of contemporary artist James Nowak; from antique Japanese silk screens and kimonos to intricately carved European console tables and cupboards.

Four Seasons veteran Thomas Gurtner, General Manager of the Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, says the quality of design and decor dements is unmatched. For example, behind the scenes super-capacity washers and dryers that can clean up to 14,000 pounds of linens in just a few hours. On stage there's the acres of custom Tai Ping, Stark and Axminster carpets underfoot, as well as the extensive use of rare marble and semi-precious stone.

Main floor lobby floors are comprised of white Carrera, black Michael Angelo, Oro Toscano and Pompei Gold marble. Even more unusual is the use of various marbles in different public rest-rooms, such as Damascus Red and Oxford Rose. The owner's love of natural materials is evident in the way he has exhibited wall-sized slabs of several semi-precious stones.

Behind the reception and concierge desks, for example, is a wall of verdigris green and camel tan Onice Smeraldo from Iran. The entryway elevators flank a back-lit wall of reddish-brown Carnelian quartz, "also incorporated into the Onyx restaurant. An enormous slab of back-lit deep cobalt Blue Agate dominates one wall of the indoor pool area.

The masterpieces by Mother Nature are rivaled only by the artwork of John Wullbrandt, who has worked with the owner for 17 years. Wullbrandt has painted major murals throughout the facility. The most spectacular, perhaps, covers the walls of the grand spiral staircase descending down to the Hampton's restaurant. The scene is that of a country gentleman's farm from nearby Sherwood Valley. "As in many of my works, this mural contains a secret narrative," says Wullbrandt. "Here the number two--as in 2 Dole Drive--provides the key to unlocking the story."

Other contemporary artists whose work has been incorporated into the infrastructure include sculptor/mason Jay Tschetter, whose glazed, naturalistic brick relief sculpture of fruit, vegetables and flowers, is on display as a backdrop for the outdoor seating area of The Spa Cafe, one of the dining establishments.

Alexandra Pastorino is another artist whose delicate plaques depicting various flowers--hydrangeas, lilies, roses--will adorn each of the spa's 28 treatment rooms. In the spas relaxation area, Asian-inspired paper lanterns hang over a Chinese footbridge in Chippendale red, matched by the red rose petals embedded in frosted glass walls featured in the Yamaguchi Salon.

Orchids abound like a leitmotif, gracefully twining around the base of indoor trees planted in blue and white Chinese porcelain urns, perching on shelves framed by a dramatic wall of water. A centerpiece of the spa is the authentic Thai Spirit House, an ornate, gilded miniature dwelling believed to house protective spirits. Such artifacts, and the ancient traditions they represent, encourage self-reflection and meditation, which was perhaps the owner's aim. "I wanted to create something that doesn't exist anywhere else," Murdock says. "Here, you can sift yourself so to speak, and see what's inside."