The U.S. Air Force’s Joint Base Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu, Hawaii, is currently in the midst of an $820 million housing privatization project that includes the delivery of 1,208 new homes, 438 rehabilitated historic homes, housing and maintenance offices, two community centers, and a recreational sports complex.
At the heart of the project by developer Hickam Communities, Honolulu, Hawaii, is the reconstruction of the former Non-Commissioned Officer’s Mess Building (NCO Club), now known as the Ka Makani Community Center.
In 1935, Captain Howard B. Nurse designed the neighborhood master plan for Hickam, which included the NCO Club as a gathering place for noncommissioned officers and their spouses for rest and recreation.
Designed by Jozef B. A. Van Oort, a Dutch architect who came to Hawaii in 1935 and served as a chief architect of the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps Construction Services, the single-story, cross-shaped concrete building is replete with Art Deco and Moderne details as well as with prominent Hawaiian tropical elements.
PROJECT SUMMARY
Ka Makani Community Center
Honolulu, HawaiiBuilding Team
Submitting firm: Lend Lease
Owner/developer: Hickam Communities LLC
Architect/architectural engineer: Mason Architects Inc.
Structural engineer: Shigemura, Lau, Sakanashi, Higuchi & Associates Inc.
MEP engineer: Lincolne Scott Inc.
General contractor/construction manager: KPRS Hawaii Construction Inc.
Construction/program manager: Lend LeaseGeneral Information
Size: 9,191 sf building
Construction cost: $5.6 million
Construction period: June 2009 to March 2011
Delivery method: Design-build
“Deco ornamentation is present in the large fluted column within the entry lanai and Moderne details are evident in the wide-radius corners,” says Julianne Polanco, director of cultural resources, Lend Lease, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. “The building’s hip roof, wide roof overhangs, and large wood-framed sliding windows and doors are common to the Hawaiian-tropical style, as are the screened lanai, acid-stained concrete floors, and patterned concrete stamping.”
SUBTRACTION BY ADDITION
Over time, several additions–– a large, warehouse-like ballroom, a new kitchen, a laundry facility, mechanical equipment, even a barber shop––were made. The NCO Club ballooned in size to 26,000 sf, ultimately obscuring its cross-shape design.
Eventually, the building’s two lanais were permanently closed, the ceilings were lowered, the walls were covered with faux wood paneling, floors were carpeted, and the roof was covered with asphalt.
As the Hickam Communities’ rehabilitation project gained steam in 2009, it was evident that the former NCO Club, which had been abandoned for 15 years, should be rehabilitated as a community center and focal point of the housing development.
RETURNING TO THE ORIGINAL FOOTPRINT
The Building Team used Van Oort’s original drawings as a basis for the reconstruction of the NCO Club. However, there were still details that had yet to be discovered. “While we had an understanding of what was and was not the original building, it was the condition of the materials hidden by various upgrades and additions that remained unknown until construction commenced,” says Polanco.
All of the post-1941 additions to the exterior were removed, reducing the footprint of the building back to the original 10,000 sf. The lanai and dining terrace were reopened, original entry lanai light fixtures were refurbished and reinstalled. The original ceiling in the former lounge was exposed, revealing open beams with articulated wood molding painted in teal and gold. Faux wood paneling and lowered ceilings were removed, exposing portions of several large historic murals that were nearly destroyed by the previous alterations.
“The murals, hidden behind the additions to the building, were revealed. Unfortunately, the condition of the murals was such that they could not be retained or restored. As homage to their existence, the interior now has a few small decorative painted elements. The reintroduction of folding glass panel doors and the lanais were two elements that returned the building to its original charm,” says Polanco.
The general floor plan was retained, although some modifications were made to meet current needs. For example, the lounge became a multiuse room; the dining room was enlarged to become the entertainment room; the former card room was transformed into a fitness center; and the bar evolved into a computer room.
New wood flooring was installed in the main lobby and in the former lounge. The stone-line patterned acid-stained concrete floors in the old dining rooms were also restored to what Polanco calls “their original glory.”
“The retention of the concrete floors and other character-defining features allows visitors to share the same experience as visitors of the past,” says Polanco.
In addition being honored with a Silver Award in Building Design+Construction’s 2011 Reconstruction Awards, the Ka Makani Center has also won a Preservation Honors Award from the Historic Hawaii Foundation. It is also eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
“The rehabilitation of this building has been a success on many levels,” says Polanco. “From an aesthetic standpoint, the building has been returned to its rightful place as a graceful and pleasing focal point to the intentionally designed historic district.” +
Related Stories
| Jul 2, 2014
First Look: Qatar World Cup stadium design references nomadic heritage
Organizers of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, recently unveiled designs for the second stadium.
| Jul 2, 2014
SHoP designs what would be Brooklyn's tallest building
JDS Development partners with SHoP to construct a 70-story building at 775-feet tall, unprecedented for downtown Brooklyn.
| Jul 2, 2014
The doctor is in the firehouse: New clinic to be built in California fire station
Designed by WRNS Studio, the Firehouse Clinic will encourage local residents with limited healthcare access to consider them as an alternative to the emergency room, especially for preventive care.
| Jul 2, 2014
Emerging trends in commercial flooring
Rectangular tiles, digital graphic applications, the resurgence of terrazzo, and product transparency headline today’s commercial flooring trends.
| Jul 2, 2014
Grimshaw's 'kit of parts' design scheme selected for Qatar sports facilities program
The series of projects, called the Al Farjan Recreational Sports Facilities, have been designed in such a way that the same basic design can be adapted to the specific requirements of each site.
| Jul 1, 2014
Peter Zumthor's LA art museum plan modified with bridge-like section across main thoroughfare
After his design drew concerns about potential damage to LA's La Brea Tar Pits, Peter Zumthor has dramatically revised his concept for the Los Angeles Museum of Art.
| Jul 1, 2014
China's wild circular skyscraper opens in Guangzhou [slideshow]
The 33-story Guanghzou Circle takes the shape of a giant ribbon spool, with the floor space housed in a series of boxes suspended between two massive "wheels."
| Jul 1, 2014
Hyper-speed rendering: How Gensler turns BIM models into beauty shots in seconds
In search of a fast rendering solution, Gensler looked to the gaming and moviemaking industries for the next breakthrough tool: Octane Render.
| Jul 1, 2014
Sochi's 'kinetic façade' may steal the show at the Winter Olympics
The temporary pavilion for Russian telecom operator MegaFon will be wrapped with a massive digital "pin screen" that will morph into the shape of any face.
| Jul 1, 2014
7 ways to cut waste in BIM implementation
Process mapping, split models, and streamlined coordination meetings are among the timesaving techniques AEC firms are employing to improve BIM/VDC workflows.
