Hospitality Design - May 2014 - 144

perspectives

places hawaii

Photos by TAGGART SORENSEN

the shopping area, manipulating their mood and
creating an experience," Girelli says.
In the lobby, natural walnut and gray basalt
are complemented by steel blue, yellow, and
orange tones; and layered glass with custom
graphics anchors the reception desks. A long
sculptural bench separates the indoor lobby
and the outdoor terrace, where raised waterfalls
and pools sit above the seating lanai.
The highlight is the rooftop pool. Says
Girelli: "We designed the rooftop deck so it can
be easily transformed from a poolside lounging
area to an after-dark retreat. Since storage and
space is limited, we designed a convertible clever
cushion system that can be rearranged, turning
chaises into daybeds and settees."

Honoring History

A true sense of locale is at the center of Waikiki
Beach's Hilton Hawaiian Village's overhaul of
its lobby, iconic Bali Steak & Seafood restaurant,
Paradise Lounge, and Tapa Bar.
El Segundo, California-based Design
Group Carl Ross handled the lobby and arrival
experience, outfitting the spaces with natural,
indigenous materials, a banana leaf clusterinspired chandelier, and iridescent backlit teal
and emerald panels that stretch out behind
reception, which are etched with fish scale and
ocean wave patterns.
For the restaurants, San Francisco-based
Puccini Group was charged with turning
Bali steakhouse into a more dynamic space

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May 2014 hospitalitydesign.com

that would transform from day to night while
making the Tapa Bar a standalone destination.
The design firm's inspiration: "The Balinese
culture and lifestyle, as well as the hotel's history
as the iconic Hawaiian hotel during the postWorld War II era," explains Puccini Group chief
creative officer and partner, Robert Polacek.
In the steakhouse, fabrics and textures
inspired by Balinese woodcarvings, woven
textures-a nod to the iconic chicken baskets
found throughout Bali-a vibrant but masculine
color scheme, and floral patterns create an
intimate, authentic ambiance. The standout is
the art. Verdant landscape imagery of Bali used
in combination with traditional woven baskets
and masks signify Bali's rich cultural history
and tropical locale. "When viewed from certain
angles in the restaurant, four independent
images merge to make one large image of a
breathtaking Balinese sunset," explains Polacek.
"The masks in the private dining room were
hung in a more traditional collage but symmetry
was used to maintain the contemporary feel of
the more intimate dining space."
These masks continue in Paradise Lounge,
mounted in a large grid to complement the
lounge's contemporary aesthetic, which, in
contrast to the restaurant, has a more feminine
feel thanks to a tropical color palette of coral and
turquoise. And to bring the outdoors in, the team
installed a trellis design element above the bar
and hung a collection of woven baskets from the
skylit ceiling.

5. Outdoor lanai
seating at the Hokulani
Waikiki by Hilton Grand
Vacations Club is
surrounded by raised
waterfalls and pools.

Hightop Dining

6. Hokulani's rooftop
pool features furniture
that can be converted
from chaises to daybeds
and settees.

Los Angeles-based Preen is designing Búho,
Cocina y Cantina, Waikiki's first major rooftop
restaurant development, located five stories
high in the heart of the city. "There are a lot of
non-local chains in Waikiki, and the design in
them has already been determined from some
other place," explains Preen's founder Alexis
Readinger. "Búho is a locally owned restaurant
and while it will command a scale comparable
to the chains, it is much more handmade. We
wanted something authentic, playful, and from
the heart."
For the space-5,000 square feet of indoor
dining and a 7,000-square-foot outdoor patio-
Readinger went with natural materials, wood,
concrete, and metal mixed with pops of green,
orange, and yellow. For a sense of place, there's
a fire plume that emits a fireball that can be
activated by diners; three bent glass "seedlings"
are a take on a tiki torch; and a dining sofa
carved out of an enormous tree. "We are craning
it up to the site," Readinger explains.
The main challenge, she says, is getting
items to the island. "Imports command a
premium," Readinger explains. "We ended
up manufacturing both in Los Angeles and in
Nicaragua and shipping over containers. It was
a great opportunity for us to try our wings at
overseas manufacturing, and the work is just
beautiful. We are all crossing our fingers and
toes that the boat shows up on time." hd

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