Travelling again - part six

Not a comprehensive survey of local architecture, indeed far, far from it. Mostly what I’ve chanced on my strolls. This will be a long post, so, if uninterested in pre-war and mid-century architecture, perhaps part seven on ‘aloha’ super-abundance will be more to your taste. On the other hand, you can simply click on the first picture and quickly scroll through. 

Opened in 1936 Honolulu’s Queen Theater was quite wonderful, especially the picture palace interior. Here’s a crowd for 1947’s Tarzan and the Huntress.

But look at it now.

Still, I’m pleased by the tower and clouds. The cinema’s name was originally highlighted in neon and, looking closely, you can see the tubes.

I think the picture’s more dramatic, perhaps with a Thirties feel, in black & white.

In contrast to the down-at-heels Queen Theater, the deco-ish Kewalo Theater, opened in 1937, remains in reasonably decent shape albeit as a scuba shop.

Not far from Kathy & Michael’s, this house - you can just see part of Diamond Head behind - is from 1939. The style is streamline moderne and windows helpful for cross-ventilation in a time before residential air conditioning. I’m also keen on glass blocks - privacy but with light. Lacking a glamorous Thirties house, I console myself with  two glass blocks as bookends. 

This allows me to backtrack four years to 1935 and Honolulu Fire Department’s Central Station. Aside from extraordinary deco doors, note the windows and how they’re similar to those in the house.

From the Thirties to Fifties and mid-century modern of which there’s an abundance. Here’s the unusual open bell tower of St. Mark’s Episcopal (Anglican) Church. 

Parts of the Princess Kaiulani Hotel, an early example of Hawaiian modernism in a substantial building, were built in 1955.

The Corals in Waikiki - not mid-century modern, but of the era - looks much as in 1959. The latticework and corrugated balcony railings - not seen that before - haven’t changed.

The very moving USS Arizona memorial, dedicated in 1962, was designed by one of Hawaii’s most influential modernist architects. By the way, I took the next two pictures during a visit in 2016.

St. Augustine by the Sea is also from 1962. The Catholic Church has produced some stunning modern architecture. 

Still, as Honolulu has a serious and highly visible homeless problem, I was taken aback to find this notice next to the crosses. Click for better view.

This ranks as one of my favourite buildings and one I initially misread.

I had thought Waikiki Cove was a Thirties product, but also vaguely remembered there was then very little modern development away from the beach. Actually, Waikiki Cove with its splendid styling was built in 1963.

Distinctive steel grill and decorative breeze blocks in an otherwise nondescript, three floor, 1966 apartment block.

The 1966 Waikiki Galleria Tower is a fusion of post-modernism and, appropriately enough, Polynesian design. The arches (supposedly) evoke a pineapple and help provide shade.

I’m surprised there’s little easily available information about the highly distinctive, 1969 Diamond Head Beach Hotel & Residences. Built on a long narrow plot, it tapers from bottom to top.  

Unlike many, perhaps most, residential buildings, units are not necessarily duplicates from floor to floor. And that’s because of the narrowing. Plumbing may be a nightmare because pipes can’t always go straight up and down. I know as I live in a building in which pipes zig zag like spaghetti. My own condo’s plumbers are the Sherlock Holmes of their trade.

A late burst of modernism - the Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort - in which curved balconies evoke the Waikiki Galleria Tower’s arches.

And, while on curves, some structures with pronounced curves. In downtown Honolulu this was constructed in 1950. Again, notice the glass blocks at the base. My impression is the windows, similar to those in previous photos, don’t open, which may indicate there’s now air conditioning.

This extraordinary downtown garage was completed in 1958. The sign lights after dark.

The 1963 Aston Waikiki Circle Hotel goes all out with a curved, glass block and neon entrance. Wow!

Here’s a 1967 combination of stores and modest apartments …

… and nearby a similar theme with cross-ventilation windows.

Some design details that caught my eye. 

A 1941 - so just before nearby Pearl Harbor was attacked - two floor walk-up with delightful window grill and ‘bamboo’ at the entrance.

A three floor walk-up, this from 1946, with tropical breadfruit balustrade.

Another garage - who’d have thought garages could have photographic appeal? - where there’s a truly impressive, even valiant attempt at making parking spaces attractive. This is at the 1969 Waikiki Whale Watcher apartments in central Waikiki. 

Finally, and out-of-sequence as it was completed in 1952, a house considered one of the United States’ more important examples of mid-century residential architecture. Thus it has a website:

https://www.liljestrandhouse.org/

I’m not going to compete with the scads of material written about the Liljestand House other than that Kathy & Michael knew I’d be interested. The home's view of Honolulu is alone worth the drive. 

Interiors to give you a taste … 

I briefly considered one of these carved heads as souvenir, but too heavy for my luggage and, besides, I guess it would be missed.

Travelling again - part five

The next two posts touch on signs and architecture, two of my interests. 

Hawaii's sun and humidity can be enervating, especially while exploring streets in a largish city with plenty of concrete. However, I’ve managed to ‘quarter’ much of Waikiki and a nearby neighbourhood. 

The 2020s often sees standardized, 'corporatized', bland signage, but Honolulu’s stylish mid-century signs on old hotels and apartment buildings are a delight. Below is a small selection, starting with the 1950s. Some pictures may be worth clicking on for detail.

The 'surf' in 'diamond head surf', now a condo, is obscured.

'Hale' in Hawaiian means 'home'.

The 1960 Koa Apartments is one of the few buildings for which I could find a photograph taken shortly after it was built. Although the colour has changed and 'Hotel-Apt.' removed, the main sign and frontage remain much the same.   

Kon Tiki became popular after the 1947 Kon Tiki transpacific expedition. The sign is on what I think may be lava rock, abundant in volcanic Hawaii.

'Sans Souci' reminds me a first class menu from the Titanic's interrupted voyage recently sold for £50,000. On the menu for dessert was 'Pudding Sans Souci'. The building, completed in 1960, has lasted a lot longer than the ship.

Finally, two at twilight. Leonard’s Bakery has been a Honolulu favourite for seventy years, in fact, exactly seventy years as of writing.

And the Rainbow Drive-In, opened in 1961, is where Barack Obama sometimes hung out as a teenager.

Coming up, the area's mid-century architecture.