Hawai'i Hochi Building
The Hawai'i Hochi Building is a building notable for its Brutalist aesthetics. Located at 917 Kokea St., Honolulu, Hawaii, the building was designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange. Initially, it served as the headquarters for the Hawaii Hochi Newspaper, a publication with deep roots in the Japanese immigrant community in Hawaii. Over time, the Hawaii Hochi Building has garnered attention from architectural scholars as well as preservationists.[1]
Architectural significance
[edit ]The Hawaii Hochi Building blends Brutalist and Tropical Modernism aesthetics. Tange embraced the principles of Tropical Modernism in designing the Hawaii Hochi Building.[2] The Hawaii Hochi Building's design also attempts to encapsulate the social significance of the Hawaii Hochi newspaper, which emerged from a crucial historical context involving Japanese plantation workers.[1]
Historical context
[edit ]The inception of the Hawaii Hochi Building is intimately tied to Konosuke Oishi and the Hawaii Hochi newspaper, a publication that served as a voice for the Japanese immigrant community in Hawaii.[1] Established against a backdrop of a significant labor movement in 1902,[3] Konosuke Oishi's decision to commission a building for the Hawaii Hochi newspaper was not merely a functional requirement, but also a symbolic gesture towards creating a lasting imprint of the Japanese community's heritage and discourse in Hawaii.[4]
The construction of the building in 1972 marked a significant moment, as it was one of Tange's two completed projects in the United States and only project in Hawaii.[5] [6] [7] [4]
The building's location at 917 Kokea Street in Honolulu provided a strategic vantage point, embedding it within the urban fabric of the city and facilitating its role as a communication hub for the Hawaii Hochi newspaper.[8]
Educational and public engagement
[edit ]The adaptive reuse and preservation efforts for the Hawaii Hochi Building have catalyzed various educational and public engagement activities. The support from Kamehameha Schools further emphasizes the building's role in fostering an educational environment.[1]
The engagement of local community stakeholders, such as Kamehameha Schools and city planners, in the adaptive reuse initiatives showcases a broader spectrum of educational and community engagement. This collaboration aims to leverage the architectural heritage of the Hawaii Hochi Building for urban development and educational purposes, creating a confluence of ideas among architects, students, local community members, and urban planners.
References
[edit ]- ^ a b c d "New Beginnings: Restoring Old Buildings With Cultural Significance". Honolulu Magazine. 27 February 2023. Retrieved 2023年10月29日.
- ^ "Docomomo US/Hawaii Architecture Map, 1970-72". Docomomo. Retrieved 2023年10月29日.
- ^ "Japanese Exclusion and the American Labor Movement: 1900 to 1924". Association for Asian Studies. Retrieved 2023年10月30日.
- ^ a b Chinen, Karleen (2019年06月14日). "The Hawaii Herald - Hawaii's Japanese American Journal". The Hawaii Herald. Retrieved 2023年10月30日.
- ^ "Tange, Kenzo | Infoplease". www.infoplease.com. Retrieved 2023年10月30日.
- ^ Herald, Hawaii (2022年02月04日). "The Hawaii Herald - Hawaii's Japanese American Journal". The Hawaii Herald. Retrieved 2023年10月30日.
- ^ "Biography: Kenzo Tange | The Pritzker Architecture Prize". www.pritzkerprize.com. Retrieved 2023年10月30日.
- ^ "Dialogue – WE MOVED!". The Hawaii Herald. Retrieved 2023年10月29日.
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