Anaha | Solomon Cordwell Buenz

Combining history, context, and culture, the Anaha tower is an extraordinary example of contemporary architectural place-making. The condominium begins the implementation of Ward Village®, which is the largest Platinum Certified LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) masterplan in the country.
Designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB) in partnership with Honolulu-based Benjamin Woo Architects, Anaha is the second residential condominium tower to be completed within the award-winning 60-acre master-planned community transforming Honolulu’s urban core.

Located in the vibrant Kaka’ako district of Oahu, the 40-story, 857,000-square-foot tower creates 311 condominium homes that will help transform the previously industrial and retail-focused district into a 24-hour mixed-use community.

Anaha Form & Facade Design

Anaha means “reflection of light” in Hawaiian. The tower’s undulating form was inspired by the island’s artistic tradition of abstracting waves. Through a sequence of shifted, interlocking, and softly curved floor plates and its high-performance glass curtain wall, the façade appears to be ever-changing in the light, like a wave shimmering in the sun, making the tower a distinctive and dynamic addition to the coastline.

The orientation of the tower’s long axis is placed ‘Mauka-Makai’, or mountain to ocean, which preserves coastal views from inland vantage points. The tower is brought cleanly down to the street to mark the residential entrance.  The podium retail and townhomes activate Kamakee Street. Retail spaces, geared toward local artisans, are arranged along a shaded pedestrian promenade that connects Auahi and Queen Streets and features operable facades to connect directly and stimulate street life.

Between the tower and podium geometries, a tranquil water feature is framed by one the country’s largest verdant ‘living walls’, which contains a blend of 8,000 indigenous tropical plants and passes through the lobby façade, connecting outside and in. Perched 80 feet above Auahi Street, a glass-bottomed, saltwater pool cantilevers 15 feet off the edge of the seventh-floor amenity deck creating a memorable spectacle.

The design for Anaha employs numerous sustainable strategies and materials to create a building that is both environmentally responsible and focused on resident comfort. Since conventional faceted glazing could not convey the design intent and sinuous contours of the facade, the design team turned to large-format, solar-efficient radiused glass to meet both the technical performance and desired aesthetic.

Juliet balconies allow the façade to open up, taking advantage of warm ocean breezes and allowing for an indoor/outdoor living experience for residents. Locally sourced materials also contain recycled content to the greatest degree possible and were selected to reduce or eliminate volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Kitchen appliances and plumbing fixtures and fittings are energy- and water-conserving models.

Project Info:
Architects: Solomon Cordwell Buenz
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Project Year: 2018
Manufacturers: 9Wood, Guardian Glass, PPG Duranar, AGA Architectural Glass & Aluminum, Driftwood Mica, Silverstorm, Pacific Aqua Group
Photographs: Nic Lehoux
Project Name: Anaha