Financial Plaza of the Pacific

Mid-century brutalist buildings/plaza

Comprised of three stunning Brutalist buildings and an inspired outdoor space, the Financial Plaza of the Pacific was originally conceived by Victor Gruen Associates in the mid 1960s as part of a four block revitalization project to make downtown Honolulu more pedestrian friendly.

Only one block was fully realized – opened in 1968 – and consists of the 6-story Bank of Hawaii building, the 12-story American Savings & Loan building and the 21-story Pacific Century Tower. Together, these three monolithic structures, designed by Wou & Partners, Inc., form the Financial Plaza of the Pacific and have been nicely tied together by their common brutalist architecture, sandblasted aggregate surfaces and even, surprisingly, their unique island-style character (not easy to pull off in concrete).

The finishing touch is landscape architect Lawrence Halprin’s  beautiful plaza, which encompasses a good chunk of the block itself and boasts native Hawaiian landscaping, a gently stepped fountain and original sculptural art by Arnaldo Pomodoro and Tony Rosenthal.

For fans of Brutalism, this one’s for you!