A radical rework for a Pacific war memorial
Snøhetta has designed an update for Honolulu’s 22-acre Blaisdell Center complex, a “radical reconfiguration” which will provide a new network of open spaces and unifying paths.
In collaboration with WCIT and supported by AECOM, the plan includes a new performance hall, exhibition hall, sports pavilion, parking structure and public space, to “not only restore and update the historic existing structures, but also strengthen the relationship between the site and the people, culture, and rich history of Honolulu.”
Snøhetta’s plan for the Blaisdell Center is described as a radical reconfiguration.
Built in 1964, the original Blaisdell Center serves as a memorial for Hawaiian veterans and war heroes, and has become a fixture of the local community, welcoming nearly 800,000 visitors each year. However, with the existing arena and concert hall on opposite ends of the site, it currently lacks a defined outdoor gathering space.
The plan includes a new performance hall, exhibition hall, sports pavilion, parking structure and public spaces.
Snøhetta will combine the back of house facilities from the site’s four venues, shifting them below ground and planting a new series of lush, tropical gardens on the covering ground plane. This will create a collection of spaces with distinct characters and functions, offering a new public realm for outdoor performances and recreation.
Community and stakeholder workshops identified three core values for the reconstruction of the centre- ho’okahe wai, to activate water; ho’opili kanaka, to gather community; and ho’olaule’a Hawai’i, to celebrate culture.
The design includes a number of water features.
There will be plenty of water on site in the form of a series of pools and waterfalls that filter and aerate the water as it travels along the changing elevation of the Lo’i terraces. A historically significant fishpond will provide a diverse aquatic habitat, and an interactive fountain will allow the community to actively engage with water. A stormwater management system along the street edge will filter and recharge groundwater. Water is activated and celebrated, with the design respecting the natural flow from mauka to makai (mountain to the sea).
The Blaisdell Center’s performance and exhibition hall will have a base of stratified basalt that echoes the form and texture of shoreline rock formations, providing a unifying element that extends around and in-between the centre’s venues. Outdoor lobbies will benefit from the year-round greening of the surrounding vegetation.
The original centre was built in 1964.
Serving as an arrival and gathering urban plaza, the Terrace will include shade canopies, curved seating and islands of raised planters.
The Gardens and Event Plaza will be used for performances and recreation activities, while the Coconut Grove surrounding the concert hall will have wider pathways lined with tropical plants, making it suitable for intermissions, receptions, small gatherings and café seating.
Explaining the intention behind their design, Snøhetta say that, “inspired by local perceptions of space and environment that emphasise a deep connection to the land and a reverence for natural resources, the project is conceptually guided by the significance of water in Hawaiian culture. As they take shape in the design, these three principles foreground the sculpting forces of water on the landscape and community across time: yesterday, today and tomorrow.”
The design team says the plan is guided by the significance of water in Hawaiian culture.