Scandinavian firm Snøhetta paired up with Honolulu-based WCIT Architecture to design a proposal for the Barack Obama Presidential Center Library at the University of Hawaii.
Snøhetta wasn’t the only high-profile firm commissioned by this university in the tropics; Allied Works and MOS, the latter pairing up with Honolulu-based Workshop-Hi, also submitted designs for Hawaii’s bid to host the library, Inhabitat reports.
So far, Hawaii is seen as an underdog in the race, as its competitors in the contiguous U.S.—New York’s Columbia University and the University of Chicago—are considered favorites to win the bid. Also in the race is the University of Illinois in Chicago.
The three final cities each have a personal connection to President Obama: Honolulu is the city of the president’s birth and early childhood, New York city is where he spent his time as an undergraduate at Columbia University, and Chicago is where he taught law, met his wife, and started his political career.
All three designs for the University of Hawaii are set on a beach site adjacent to Kaka’ako Waterfront Park. The plan by Snøhetta and WCIT Architecture features a building that “appears square from the outside, but opens at one corner into a rounded courtyard with a pool. One end of the structure meets the ground, providing public access to a roof planted with grasses,” Dezeen reports.
The designs for the University of Hawaii aim to elevate the facility from just a library into a center for learning, public space, and multipurpose center.
“It will be a place where the president can come and meet with leaders from Asia … to bring Asia to Hawaii and to the rest of the world,” Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell told local station KHON2 News.
Read more at Dezeen.
Related Stories
Building Team | Apr 6, 2016
Evaluating the value proposition of project vendors
CBRE Healthcare's Daniel Waters has a few pointers for Request for Proposal (RFP) writers and Project Managers when it comes to handling project vendors, including clearly defining performance expectations.
Building Team | Feb 25, 2016
Long-time BD+C editor Gordon Wright, 1939-2016
Gordon Wright, whose career at BD+C spanned 32 years, passed away on February 15, at the age of 76.
Building Team | Feb 10, 2016
DBIA disputes study claiming design-build projects often delivered on time, over budget
Says study did not account for owner-initiated scope changes.
Building Team | Jan 7, 2016
4 reasons the C-suite should care about design-led construction
Lou Astorino shares four examples how a unified approach can directly help C-suite leaders achieve their organizational goals.
Sponsored | Building Team | Dec 16, 2015
How to fix 3 common mistakes AEC teams make in project interviews
In a LinkedIn post, Scott Johnson, business writing specialist at Johnson Training Group, highlights three common missteps that AEC firms make during project interviews. His insights are based on more than 90 interviews conducted with members of various selection panels.
Sponsored | Building Team | Dec 7, 2015
Why employee advocacy is key to social media success
Employee advocacy is key to boosting social media engagement, and employee advocacy is about more than just the promotion of a firm’s brand.
Sponsored | Building Team | Nov 30, 2015
5 ways to bring data into marketing and business development
Here are five ways to use data to enhance the client acquisition process
Cultural Facilities | Nov 23, 2015
BIG plans for Pittsburgh: Bjarke Ingels’ Lower Hill District master plan evokes hilly topography
Paths will be carved to create a dialogue between Pittsburgh’s urbanscape and its hilly surroundings.
Sponsored | Building Team | Nov 17, 2015
The benefits of selling your firm to employees
One business advisor recommends professional services businesses to develop a group of employees who are willing and able to buy the business
Sponsored | Building Team | Nov 2, 2015
Recruiting for cultural fit
Hiring for culture fit doesn’t mean hiring people who are all the same
