Waikiki Galleria Tower
Waikiki, Honolulu
Formerly Bank of Hawaii Tower, this striking building rising above a duty-free shopping mall is defined by an exoskeleton of concrete swoops intended to evoke Polynesian motifs, from the languorous arches of fan palms to the skin of a pineapple.
From afar, though, the screen looks a bit like a protective chainmail against the sun. This may have been architect’s main intention for the substantial latticework. But it also serves another practical purpose: built-in narrow ledges provide a cat walk for easy cleaning the windows.
Constructed for the Bank of Hawaii in 1966 by architect George “Pete” Wimberly, the building’s design is a fusion of Polynesia and post-modernism.
“Pete”
Photo Credit University of Hawaii School of Travel Industry Management
Wimberly came to Hawaii in 1940 as a “journeyman architect doing naval work at Pearl Harbor”. After the war he worked with Howard Cook in the architectural firm of Wimberly and Cook. The rehabilitation of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel was one of his first jobs and many more followed. His work is typified by “liberal use of figurations, patterns and motifs derived from the cultures of the Pacific”.
Pete was naturally suited to be a Hawaiʻi architect. He went to work in shorts, short-sleeved shirts and sneakers without socks in an era when the “Big Five” companies dressed up. He loved the outdoors and his island mentality extended into the design of his buildings. His love for Hawaiʻi’s tropical environment also meant that he had a dislike of air conditioning and his buildings were noted for their flowing indoor-outdoor spaces.
The result of these combined influences is this beautiful iconic office tower in Honolulu.
The tropical lattice facade of this impressive tower has become a major landmark and a gathering place for the thousands of visitors who walk the world-famous Kalakaua Avenue of Waikiki.
Located at the corner of Kalakaua and Royal Hawaiian Avenue, the Waikiki Galleria Tower offers exceptional and unmatched convenience for shoppers, tenants and customers. Now it serves as the grand entrance to the world famous T Galleria by DFS and is surrounded by world-class shopping venues, dinning establishments, and the finest hotels of Waikiki.
References:
- Wikipedia
- University of Hawaii School of Travel Industry Management
