Vanguard Loft, Hawaii
This project converted a historic downtown Honolulu factory into a penthouse loft for an overseas client who could only visit a few days a year. He wished to use the residence periodically as a vacation home, but desired a level of quality and refinement typical of a multi-million dollar condominium appropriate for entertainment.
The Vanguard Lofts project is the first of its kind in the Hawaiian Islands, where at the time no other true industrial-to-residential conversions had completed. For many reasons, Honolulu presents an ideal urban setting for such a typology. A legacy of strong shipping and industrial sectors has left a surplus of commercially- scaled yet formally interesting spaces. Also, a strong movement towards sustainability has taken hold in Hawaii, as its remoteness and island geography make product life cycles readily apparent. Residents have become hyper aware of the need to re-use and recycle, and this mentality has begun to permeate to the building industry. Additionally, development over the past few decades has increased congestion to decidedly un-idyllic levels. Although the Hawaiian culture remains one centered around the automobile, home buyers (many of them retired) have begun to appreciate the benefits of a walking culture.
In order to maintain the industrial genealogy of the building, we implemented a design with a minimal palette and open floor plan. The unit had the fortune of possessing high ceilings, large windows and natural light, but three bedrooms were removed in order to maintain the spacious feel.
Stylistically, the project became an exercise in balancing drama with restrained sumptuousness. The well-travelled owner, a financial-sector executive and amateur photographer, has an appropriate number of international influences on his preferences. As such, we took a nuanced approach towards Filipino opulence, European modernism, and Japanese order.
In addition to the design of the project, the owner requested an additional package of services for managing the construction sequence. Thus, the experience deepened by the added responsibility of coordinating subcontractors, fabrications, suppliers and installers from throughout the Hawaiian Islands and beyond.
Photos by Mariko Reed.
The Vanguard Lofts project is the first of its kind in the Hawaiian Islands, where at the time no other true industrial-to-residential conversions had completed. For many reasons, Honolulu presents an ideal urban setting for such a typology. A legacy of strong shipping and industrial sectors has left a surplus of commercially- scaled yet formally interesting spaces. Also, a strong movement towards sustainability has taken hold in Hawaii, as its remoteness and island geography make product life cycles readily apparent. Residents have become hyper aware of the need to re-use and recycle, and this mentality has begun to permeate to the building industry. Additionally, development over the past few decades has increased congestion to decidedly un-idyllic levels. Although the Hawaiian culture remains one centered around the automobile, home buyers (many of them retired) have begun to appreciate the benefits of a walking culture.
In order to maintain the industrial genealogy of the building, we implemented a design with a minimal palette and open floor plan. The unit had the fortune of possessing high ceilings, large windows and natural light, but three bedrooms were removed in order to maintain the spacious feel.
Stylistically, the project became an exercise in balancing drama with restrained sumptuousness. The well-travelled owner, a financial-sector executive and amateur photographer, has an appropriate number of international influences on his preferences. As such, we took a nuanced approach towards Filipino opulence, European modernism, and Japanese order.
In addition to the design of the project, the owner requested an additional package of services for managing the construction sequence. Thus, the experience deepened by the added responsibility of coordinating subcontractors, fabrications, suppliers and installers from throughout the Hawaiian Islands and beyond.
Photos by Mariko Reed.
