CLIENT
Bank of Hawai‘i
LOCATION
Hale‘ākala, Honolulu, O‘ahu
SIZE
32,000 sf
SERVICES
Architecture
Interior Design
The land upon which Kamehameha and Princess Pauahi once resided and entertained is today the home of the Bank of Hawai‘i and its employees. The bank, inspired by the stories of the ali‘i who would host both dignitaries and the maka‘āinana, have created a new community space in the sky.
DESCRIPTION
Ka Nu‘u Ho‘oulu is a place to continue the tradition of hospitality, gathering, and sharing of council. The interconnected levels of staff and executive spaces also reemphasizes the bank’s investment in and value of its 2,100-plus employees. By removing vertical and horizontal barriers, the spaces encourage more personal and professional collisions and collaborations, and creates an atmosphere of ‘ohana (family) and ‘lōkahi (unity).
Growth and inspiration are infused in the spaces and forms of Ka Nu‘u Ho‘oulu. Upon arrival, guests are presented with a lofty atrium and swooping grand stair to draw them upwards to the communal spaces at the summit. The organic forms of the stairs, niches, and café honor the roots and limbs of the tamarind trees that Princess Pauahi once held council beneath for visiting maka‘āinana. The coral walls of the central atrium wall honor the coral block that once formed the home of the Princess and her family the Pākīs, Hale‘ākala (Pink Home).
