Continental Building

Mid-century modern buildings

As demand for office space increased in Honolulu during the booming 1950s, low-rise buildings gave way to mid-rise construction before the high-rise boom of the 1960s. The Continental building is a marvelous example of modernism at this time, and executed to perfection.

Designed by Edwin Bauer and built in 1955, this 6-story office mid-rise exudes a tropical modernist aesthetic with its use of natural lava rock juxtaposed with aluminum-framed rows of windows and tropical awnings at the top and bottom of the building.

Its entrance is nicely accented by the vertical thrust above the main doors which displays the building’s name for all to see, and despite the street level add-ons by the resident restaurant it’s still a real charmer.