UH West Oʻahu Administration and Allied Health Building in the spotlight
The new Administration and Allied Health Building at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu is about five months away from its scheduled completion, yet is attracting attention worldwide, most recently in World Architecture News.
The online journal published a 700-word article accompanied by five images of the distinctively designed building in its “Top stories this week” section under the heading “Perkins + Will create new ‘landmark’ for Hawaiʻi.” The U.K.-based World Architecture News describes itself as the leading supplier of news to the global architecture community with more than 10.8 million page views per month and a weekly e-newsletter distributed to more than 150,000.
The new building will be the sixth on the Kapolei campus, which opened in 2012. The World Architecture News article said the building, with an unusual roof line, angles and patterns on exterior walls, was intended to be a dynamic addition to the campus. The building was designed by Perkins + Will’s Los Angeles studio in collaboration with Honolulu-based KYA Design Group.
The design is distinct compared to the five other buildings, with architects drawing inspiration from the area’s history, culture and intended use. The gable roof of sugar mills that once dotted Oʻahu have been employed, while the exterior masonry incorporates patterns that are similar to those on kapa, traditional Hawaiian bark cloth.
Mark Tagawa, associate principal at Perkins + Will’s Los Angeles Studio, told World Architecture, “We wanted to create a facility that interacted with the landscape in a sympathetic way, through water management, landscaping and materiality. Cultural and ecological appropriateness was our filter for all designs decisions.”
Read more about the new building and the buzz it has generated at E Kamakani Hou.