First Hawaiian Center
Encyclopedia
First Hawaiian Center is the tallest building in Hawaii
.
near Bishop Park, the First Hawaiian Center is the world corporate headquarters of First Hawaiian Bank
, Hawaii's oldest bank and multi-billion dollar company established by Charles Reed Bishop
, consort of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop
.
First Hawaiian Center features the 24,000 square feet (2,200 m²) of open plaza, park space and waterways in the middle of downtown Honolulu's financial district cityscape of towering commercial buildings and congested streets. It is within walking distance of the Aliiōlani Hale
, Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace
, Hawaii State Capitol
and Iolani Palace. Considered a "unique marriage of commerce and the arts," First Hawaiian Center features three floors devoted to The Contemporary Museum
for an art gallery of local Hawaiian works..
The First Hawaiian Center is home to the Innovation Center Pacific.
Associates.
principles used in most contemporary Honolulu urban projects like those employed by architects of the Hawaii Convention Center
. Metaphoric designs were used in reference to natural phenomena found in Hawaii.
Two distinct architectural forms resulted in the compromise, one for the makai side facing the ocean and one for the mauka side facing the mountains. Horizontally louvered windows framed views of the sea and the horizon while vertically proportioned windows faced the mountains. A great deal of effort was made to incorporate as much natural light into the building interiors.
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
Description
Located at 999 Bishop Street in downtown HonoluluDowntown Honolulu
Downtown Honolulu is the current historic, economic, governmental, and central part of Honolulu—bounded by Nuuanu Stream to the west, Ward Avenue to the east, Vineyard Boulevard to the north, and Honolulu Harbor to the south—situated within the larger Honolulu District...
near Bishop Park, the First Hawaiian Center is the world corporate headquarters of First Hawaiian Bank
First Hawaiian Bank
First Hawaiian Bank is a regional commercial bank headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii at the First Hawaiian Center. It is a subsidiary of BancWest Corporation, which itself is a subsidiary of the French banking company, BNP Paribas...
, Hawaii's oldest bank and multi-billion dollar company established by Charles Reed Bishop
Charles Reed Bishop
Charles Reed Bishop was a businessman and philanthropist in Hawaii.Born in Glens Falls, New York, he sailed to Hawaii in 1846 at the age of 24, and made his home there. Bishop was one of the first trustees of and a major donor to the Kamehameha Schools in Hawaii...
, consort of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop
Bernice Pauahi Bishop
Bernice Pauahi Bishop , born Bernice Pauahi Pākī, was a Hawaiian princess, philanthropist, alii, and direct descendant of the royal House of Kamehameha. She was the great-granddaughter of King Kamehameha I and last surviving heir...
.
First Hawaiian Center features the 24,000 square feet (2,200 m²) of open plaza, park space and waterways in the middle of downtown Honolulu's financial district cityscape of towering commercial buildings and congested streets. It is within walking distance of the Aliiōlani Hale
Aliiolani Hale
Aliiōlani Hale is a building located in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii, currently used as the home of the Hawaii State Supreme Court. It is the former seat of government of the Kingdom of Hawaii and the Republic of Hawaii....
, Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace
Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace — also known by its original French name Cathédrale de Notre Dame de la Paix, its Portuguese variant Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Paz and its Hawaiian derivative Malia o ka Malu Hale Pule Nui — is the Mother Church of the Diocese of Honolulu and houses...
, Hawaii State Capitol
Hawaii State Capitol
The Hawaii State Capitol is the official statehouse or capitol building of Hawaii in the United States. From its chambers, the executive and legislative branches perform the duties involved in governing the state...
and Iolani Palace. Considered a "unique marriage of commerce and the arts," First Hawaiian Center features three floors devoted to The Contemporary Museum
The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu
The now defunct Contemporary Museum, Honolulu was the only museum in the state of Hawaii devoted exclusively to contemporary art. The Contemporary Museum had two venues: in residential Honolulu at the historic Spalding House, and downtown Honolulu at First Hawaiian Center.-Collection:Artists...
for an art gallery of local Hawaiian works..
The First Hawaiian Center is home to the Innovation Center Pacific.
Development
First Hawaiian Center was completed and opened in 1996 by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of First Hawaiian Bank Walter A. Dods, Jr. With over 645,834 square feet (60,000 m²) of space and a height of 429 feet (131 m), the building cost over USD $175 million to construct. The architects were from the firm Kohn Pedersen FoxKohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates , an architectural firm responsible for several world-renowned buildings, provides architectural, interior and urban design as well as programming and master planning services for clients in both the public and private sectors...
Associates.
Architecture
First Hawaiian Center planning was met with controversy as Hawaii residents became concerned about the effect skyscrapers would have on the Hawaiian landscape. Architects compromised with the use of Hawaiian architecturalHawaiian architecture
Hawaiian architecture is a distinctive style of architectural arts developed and employed primarily in the Hawaiian Islands of the present-day United States — buildings and various other structures indicative of the people of Hawaii and the environment and culture in which they live...
principles used in most contemporary Honolulu urban projects like those employed by architects of the Hawaii Convention Center
Hawaii Convention Center
The Hawai‘i Convention Center is a convention and exhibition center in Hawaii, located in Honolulu on the island of Oahu. The building cost $200 million and has of floor space. It was completed in 1997 and opened in 1998...
. Metaphoric designs were used in reference to natural phenomena found in Hawaii.
Two distinct architectural forms resulted in the compromise, one for the makai side facing the ocean and one for the mauka side facing the mountains. Horizontally louvered windows framed views of the sea and the horizon while vertically proportioned windows faced the mountains. A great deal of effort was made to incorporate as much natural light into the building interiors.