1950s Buildings in Waikiki and Honolulu

Buildings from the 1950s in Waikīkī and Honolulu represent, in varying degrees and combinations, two trends: emulating the designs popular on the mainland, and applying distinctive markers that identify the buildings as Hawaiian. Some were designed in the International Style, and looked like mainland buildings. Other buildings, however, were conceived purposely to impart a Hawaiian feeling and design, to reinforce the idea of Hawai‘i’s uniqueness. Some of their features had genuine Hawaiian origins; such as a steeply pitched roof, the use of local stone, and the idea of bringing the outdoors to the interior of the building. Other features had origins elsewhere in the Pacific: a sweeping, parabolic roofline, shoji doors, or Japanese or Chinese detailing. The South Seas and Asian influences are appropriate in Hawai‘i, given its multi-ethnic population and its position at the cross-roads of the Pacific. Architects recognized that genuine local markers were not always necessary to create the Hawaiian experience. George J. (Pete) Wimberly, who designed many of the buildings examined here, said in 1965, “It’s a matter of verisimilitude – the appearance of reality – rather than authenticity, but it reflects the spirit of things that are distinctive here.”