The original Halekulani opened in 1907 as a residential hotel called Hau Tree, owned by Robert Lewers. In 1917, Juliet and Clifford Kimball purchased the hotel, gradually expanding and establishing the property as a stylish resort for vacationers. The hotel was named Halekulani, which translates to “House Befitting Heaven.”
In the 1930s, they replaced the old Lewers home with a mansion-styled Main Building with a high-pitched hip roof to catch the cooling trade winds. The roof, known as the “Dickey” roof, is a trademark of legendary Hawaiian architect, C.W. Dickey. The Norton Clapp family of Seattle bought Halekulani in 1962 following the Kimball’s passing, with its Main Building and 37 one-and two-story bungalows.
In 1981, the hotel was sold to Mitsui Fudosan America, Inc., which formed the Honolulu-based Halekulani Corporation. Halekulani reopened in 1984 with the historic Main Building restored by the architecture firm Killingsworth, Stricker, Lindgren, Wilson & Associates, Inc. of Long Beach, CA.
A gracious social setting, in many ways more a covered open space than a solid building, The Pacific Club answers the question of what is an appropriate regional architecture for Hawaiʻi. Guests easily transition from the parking lot's shady setting through the inviting porte-cochere and up the stairs to the entrance lounge with its D. Howard Hitchcock mural of Waimea Canyon. The lounge flows into a lanai area open to courtyards on two sides. Around a corner awaits the dining room with its open, wraparound lanai, which on the far side overlooks a terraced pool area and the landscaped grounds.
Vladimir Ossipoff (1907–1998) was the design architect for The Pacific Club. Ossipoff was born in Russia, raised in Japan, and moved to Berkeley, California, in 1923. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley's department of architecture in 1931, and shortly thereafter moved to Hawaii. During the 1950s and 1960s, he established himself as the premier architect in the Islands by blending modern and regional sensibilities in high-quality designs.
The Liljestrand Foundation was created by the Liljestrand family in 2007 to preserve Liljestrand House, the tropical modern masterpiece designed by Vladimir Ossipoff, and to make that preservation beneficial to the community.
Built on the slopes of Pu‘u Ohia (Mount Tantalus), overlooking Honolulu, the Liljestrand House is recognized as an outstanding example of Ossipoff’s work and of mid-twentieth century modern architecture.
Ossipoff’s designs are known for seamless integration of building and site, elegant orchestration of circulation, clever management of views, and creative mix of modern and natural materials.
Few schools can claim a sense of place as strong as Punahou. Sheltered by Mānoa Valley and nourished by the waters of Ka Punahou, the lands of the New Spring have nurtured and sustained children and adults for nearly two centuries.
While the campus continues to evolve, it sustains a timeless connection to Hawaiʻi and its own history. Punahou is preparing for the future with thoughtful campus planning that enhances the landscape of learning that is so central to the school experience. Punahou is a national leader in sustainable educational building design, with each new building achieving LEED Gold or Platinum designation, and its Kosasa Community for grades 2-5 being the first net-zero building for energy consumption on campus.
Thurston Memorial Chapel serves as the spiritual heart of Punahou. Designed by Honolulu architect Vladimir Ossipoff, Thurston Memorial Chapel was built in 1966 and appears to rise up out of Punahou’s famed Lily Pond.
Constructed from 1935 to 1937 by philanthropist Doris Duke (1912-1993), Shangri La was inspired by her extensive travels throughout North Africa and Western, Central, South and Southeast Asia, and the landscapes of Hawai‘i. Over the course of 60 years, Duke assembled an impressive collection of nearly 4,500 artworks, cultural resources and architectural designs through commissions from artisans, purchases from dealers and bazaars, or received as gifts. The collection is particularly strong in ceramics, wood, glass, and textiles from 1600 to 1940 CE.
Itself a work of art, Shangri La is a center of the Doris Duke Foundation that convenes conversations of local and global significance through its residencies, exhibitions, and community programs. Shangri La’s approach to art reflects our entire organization’s commitment to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice as ongoing active engagements represented in all that we do.
