Queen Emma-Capstone Research Booklet

QUEEN EMMA

GILLIAN SCHEER

TABLE OF CONTENTS CAPSTONE BOOKLET

HISTORIC TIMELINE

NEIGHBORHOOD ANALYSIS FIGURE GROUND DIAGRAM CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES TOPIC ANALYSIS WORKS CITED

QUEEN EMMA

Artist’s rendering of the York International Building.1

Building plans announced for the 70,000 square foot, 11 story York International Building. 1

On September 26, 1968, Dr. You becomes indebted and files for reorganization under the Bankruptcy Act, requesting to stay in possesion of the building.5

After its second bankruptcy, the auction is postponed indefinitely as the building has recieved an offer from an investment group for $2.5 million.7

On April 11, 1982, a group of burglars breaks into the Queen Emma and stole 20 IBM type writers valued at $25,000.9

1959 1977

Architect’s sketch shows how York international Building will look in downtown Honolulu.2

1964

After 5 years of waiting for the opening of the York International Building, construction finally nears completion in early 1964.3

1968

1982

On July 19, 1964, the York International Building is completed and ready to serve business people and the sporting community of Hawaii under the direction of Dr. Richard You.4

Dr. Richard You “Honolulu’s most rabid sports enthusiast”

1973 1979

The York International Building is bought by Mr. and Mrs. Max S. H. Lim for $1.75 million and the name is changed to the Queen Emma Building.6

On March 5, 1979, 17 year old Scott Wayland scales the side of the Queen Emma Building in downtown Honolulu. He summited the 12 story building in only 10 minutes.8

York International Building Nears

Scott Wayland nears the “summit” of the Queen Emma Building.8

1984

The Queen Emma Becomes home to artists in need of studio, Monty’s Magic Show, reincarnation lectures, acupuncture, massage therapy and much more.11

2001

Monroe and Friedlander Management Incorporated is named manager and leasing agent for the Queen Emma.10

Plans are announced to turn the unused office tower into afforable housing. It is expected to provide 71 rental-apartments for low income families in Honolulu.16

A woman walking along Queen Emma Street casts a distorted reflection off a safety mirror to create an interestingly abstract photograph.14

2006

2005

2010 2018

The Queen Emma places second in the Honolulu Lite Ugliest Building in Honolulu Contest. It was nominated for it’s wartlike exterior and has been lovingly nicknamed “The Pimple Buidling”.13

Maui based developer has bought the Queen Emma office tower and set plans to renovate it into senior living condos of about 60 units. He plans to rename it the Queen Emma Regency. 15

Architects rendering for planned

Magician Monty Witt does a magic show in his theater located in the Queen Emma Building.11

The television screen in the untitled piece above shows real time images taken by a camera mounted on the building 11 floors up and a knob allows viewers to control the camera.12

QUEEN EMMA

FIGURE GROUND DIAGRAM

QUEEN EMMA

ANALYSIS

The Queen Emma building is located in Downtown Honolulu. This area is not historically a tourist hub for the island of O’ahu, but the site has potential to support a hospitality establishment. It is located just off of Honolulu Harbor and within walking distance from a variety of museums and galleries, such as the Honolulu Museum of Art. Additionally it is within a prominent historic neighborhood where the landmark, Iolani Palace stands. This site also has the potential to appeal to traveling business professionals as it provides easy access to a large quantity of commercial office buildings, as well as government buildings including the Hawaii State Capitol. This is an ideal location for a hotel becuase it will be the first of its kind in that area, has few competitors and will cater to traveling professionals and young culture seekers of Honolulu.

Falls of Clyde

SITE

Iolani Palace

Hawaii State Capitol

PACIFIC OCEAN

Recessed windows on the building’s side disinguish it from the floor to ceiling windows on the front.

The rectlinear brick panes contribute to the brutalist design of the Queen Emma.

The building was given its nickname “the pimple building” because of its iconic staggered brick facade.

QUEEN EMMA

CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES

SUMMARY

Over the last six decades and counting the Queen Emma (once the York International building) has been a prominant part of the Honolulu skyline. It stands at 12 stories tall and its structure is predominantly rectilinear which makes it noticable. The building also features a variety of window types. On the front facade there are floor to ceiling windows that orient towards the Honolulu Harbor.

On the side of the Queen Emma are some more recessed windows. These are featured in more recent pictures of the building so it is safe to assume they have been added in order to meet the code requirements to turn it into an apartment building. Arguably the most iconic defining feature of the building, however, is the pimplelike arrangement on the bricks along the outside of the buidling.

These bricks have single handedly awarded the Queen Emma the title of second ugliest building in O’ahu and the nickname “the pimple building”. Architecturally, there are a series of planes that the pimple-like bricks are clad to. These planes truly define the look and feel of the building, adding a level of asymmetry that may not be achieved otherwise.

Demolition plans do not indicate a previous presence of side windows.

Port de chez which protrudes from the ground level contributes to overall geometry of the building.

The floor to ceiling windows truly characterize the building’s facade as seen from the interior.

QUEEN EMMA

TOPIC ANALYSIS

NAME: COCUNUT CLUB & PARK

LOCATION: CAMBODIA

UNIQUE CONSTRAINTS

Prior to the building of the Coconut Club there weren’t any recreational parks of its kind in Phnom Penh. It is the first that caters towards a family audience and truly embraces the concept of biophilia. While this is good because it makes it to where there is not a lot of competition, it is still a unique constraint in that there are few precedents to be followed. This allowed for full freedom in design expression which was lived out in the nature-centric approach. 18

Another unique constraint is that T3 Architects follows bioclimactic principles which means they avoid the use of air conditioning in order to embrace the natural Cambodian climate. Luckily, the site is located directly between the Basaac riverfront and a lush tropical garden, increasing cross ventilation.19

COCONUT CLUB & PARK

TOPIC ANALYSIS

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The Coconut Club is a recreational park located in Phnom Penh,Cambodia. The resort was designed in order to create a family-friendly hospitality establishment through biophilic design, doing so by integrating some of the most beautful natural wonders Cambodia has to offer into its construciton17. The club is recognized as a “hidden gem” due to its idyllic location tucked between the up-and-coming neighborhood of Koh Pich and the Basaac River. Designed by Cambodia and Vietnam based architecture firm, T3 Architects, the club is a beatifully unique approach to building around nature. According to Khemer Times, “the club boasts of an open-air, river-facing restaurant, offering various activities for those seeking to relax and engage in recreational fun”.18

RESORT FLOORPLAN1

COCONUT CLUB & PARK

TOPIC ANALYSIS

BIOCLIMATIC DESIGN

The design features an open staircase that promotes cross ventillation which helps sustain the bioclimatic principles that are foundational to the vision of T3 Architects. The building is located between the riverfront and a lush tropical garden, increasing the natural cross ventilation. The section to the right adequately depicts the way the club ventillates because it shows the open air design which fully incorporates the natural climate of Cambodia into the architectural integrity of the resort17.

UTILIZING SURROUNDING NATURE AS A DESIGN ELEMENT

In addition to being an adequate manifestation of bioclimatic design techniques, the Coconut Club is also a very effective example of smart biophilic architecture, bringing nature around and into the building. The plants integrated into the building do not affect the aim of the design which is to incorporate the natural Cambodian surroundings because the architects use a native species of plants and trees which directly grow into the natural soil surrounding the building19. By using a native species, the plants are able to naturally integrate into the ecosystem and the building itself, which ultimately is better for the ecosystem and execution of the design intent. This process allows for easy maintenance and an elevated user experience. The low-tech solutions utilized by T3 architects is almost always the most effective in the long term perspective because it relies on the land and doesn’t require much maintenance or upkeep. There is also an integration throughout the space of using plants as thermal insulation and a technique of light management. The plant used to create a “natural curtain” is Veronia Eliptica. It creates a green facade and bring shadow and sun protection while growing quickly with very limited maintenance required17.

What biophilic design techniques can be utilized to mimic the nature surrounding a built environment in order to positively impact hotel occupants?

SECTION THROUGH STAIRCASE 1

RAVANA POOL & CLUB

TOPIC ANALYSIS

NAME: RAVANA POOL & CLUB

LOCATION: SRI LANKA

ARCHITECT: PT PENJOUR

YEAR: 2022

SIZE: 2,620 square feet

PROJECT BACKGROUND

While it is located in the mountains of Sri Lanka, the Ravana Pool & Club is conceptually based off of the bamboostyle beam houses designed by PBM. The idea was to harness the architecture that is often seen in beach huts and have it paired with the mountain scenery to create a beatifully unexpected design20. Its spectacular structure is constructed with treated and seasoned bamboo import from Bali21. The use of bamboo was key for this project allowing the designers to create a unique organic design that creates a relaxed tropical feeling for the guests. This was able to simulate the essence of a true beach house20.

UNIQUE CONSTRAINTS

An obvious constraint associated with this project is the challenge of creating a beach house amidst the mountains. This is especially difficult when the consideration of biophilia is at stake because this usually entails taking inspiration from the surrounding environments. Biophilic design can, however pertain mainly to a natural inspiration in general, which is what this design has opted for.

Another unique constraint of this project was designing in conjuction with the organic undulations of the mountains it nests between. While this is more of an architectural consideration, it does inform the interior design because it dictates usable space. To the left is an elevation image provided by the architects which depicts the unique challenges included in designing a building that is incorporated within a mountain.

USE OF BAMBOO AND OTHER NATIVE MATERIALS

Obviously, a main intent of this design was to provide the guest with the illusion of a beach hut while remaining not only within the setting of the mountains but also within the contraints of biophillic design. One way these constraints were able to be satisfied within this project is through the strategic use of bamboo. The use of bamboo was key for this particular project because it allowed for the architects to create a unique and organic design that was not only biophillic but truly able to create a tropical feeling for guests. The use of bamboo allowed the building to mirror its stunning location and fit into the surrounding environment without looking unnatural and out of place 20. Bamboo has several environmental, economic, and social benefits. Using bamboo as a promary materials also offers high durability due to its water-resistant qualities 22 .

CENTERED AROUD NATURAL ELEMENTS IN SRI LANKA

The main emphasis of this entire project is the views and surrounding nature that is included in the beautiful Sri Lankan vistas. The whole design is truly oriented outward and even the use of bamboo lends itself to the beautful nature which surrounds because while it is beautiful, bamboo is so simple in form and color that it never takes too much from the true focus which is the beauty of Sri Lanka. The influence of the mountains truly is reflected in the final design of the Ravana Beach Club because the archtiecture itself contains peaks and valleys. This organic undulation allows the design to mirror its environment and when this technique is combined with eco-friendly and biophillic design approaches, it makes for a truly special building.

RAVANA POOL & CLUB

TOPIC ANALYSIS

What biophilic design techniques can be utilized to mimic the nature surrounding a built environment in order to positively impact hotel occupants?

DESA HAY RESORT

TOPIC ANALYSIS

NAME: DESA HAY RESORT

LOCATION: BALI

ARCHITECT: ARKANA ARCHITECTS

YEAR: 2021

SIZE: 1,200 square meters

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The Desa Hay resort is a complex of villas located in Canggu, Bali. The target audience for the resort is primarily foreign tourists. What draws people in about the architecture is its traditional Indonesian elements.23When designing

BRINGING THE OUTSIDE IN

One of the first ways that Desa Hay incorporates nature into the design is by opening the indoors to the outdoors. As mentioned earlier, one way that this is done is by locating a bathtub outside to allow the guest to truly become one with nature.24Throughout the resort, green plants and a wooden fence become a natural wayfinding technique that seems as though it grew from the ground itself.23 Each villa has large windows that can be opened completely to embrace the vistas that lie beyond the glass. The roof design also immitates the traditional Bali construciton methods, which helps it to more seamlessly mimic its surroundings.24 “The guests will have a deep feeling of tranquility, wellness, also harmony with nature.”23

MATERIAL CHOICES

Another way the resort embraces biophilia is through the materiality of the design. The architects are strategic in connecting the heritage of Bali with a natural selection of materials. The design embraces a bamboo wrap ceiling which alludes to the nature surrounding as well as a shingled roof which helps the villa blend with its environment seamlessly. Each villa focuses on using only two types of wood. They use a blackish, almost ebony wood for structural elements and a lighter walnut is used for the furniture throughout. This helps to create a consistency throughout the materiality that is simple, yet entirely inspired by the natural world. A slate is used in the bathroom area to pull in another element of nature found throughout Bali. 23

DESA HAY RESORT

TOPIC ANALYSIS

What biophilic design techniques can be utilized to mimic the nature surrounding a built environment in order to positively impact hotel occupants?

VILLA BEDROOM7

VILLA BATHROOM7

1 The York International Building. “Look No Further Office Seekers The York Building Awaits You...” The Honolulu Advertiser [Honolulu, Hawaii], 29 Sept. 1963.

2 “New 11-Story Building Announced for City.” The Honolulu Advertiser, 2 Oct. 1959.

3 “York International Building Nears Completion.” The Honolulu Advertiser, 1964.

4 Ito, Monte. “Much Needed Health Center.” The Sunday Star Bulletin & Advertiser, 19 July 1964

5 “York Corporation Files Reorganization Petition.” The Honolulu Advertiser, 26 Sept. 1968.

6 “York Building Purchase.” The Honolulu Advertiser, 19 July 1973.

7 Lurn, Arlene. “Bid Postpones Queen Emma Building Sale.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 22 Sept. 1977.

8 Wayland, Scott. “He Climbed Building Because It Was There.” The Honolulu Advertiser

9 “Easter-Eve Burglary Remains Unsolved.” The Sunday Star Bulletin and Advertiser, 23 May 1982.

10 “More Business.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 29 May 1984.

11 Hoover, Will. “‘Monty’s Magic’ Goes Public.” The Honolulu Advertiser.

12 Ige, Ken. “Alternative Art Finds an Unlikely Home 11 Stories Up.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 8 July 2001.

13 “Charles Memminger Posed in Front of the Queen Emma Building.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 20 Mar. 2005.

17 Roșescu, Bianca Valentina. “Coconut Club & Park Cambodia / T3 Architects.” ArchDaily, ArchDaily, 10 Mar. 2022, https://www.archdaily.com/978198/coconut-club-and-park-cambodia-t3-architects?ad_source=search&ad_medium=projects_tab.

18 “Coconut Club: A Hidden Gem That Offers Some Chilling Time - Khmer Times.” Khmer Times - Insight into Cambodia, 23 Mar. 2022, https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501046122/coconut-club-a-hidden-gem-that-offers-somechilling-time/.

19 Gallavardin, Charles. “Coconut Club & Park in Phnom Penh - Cambodia.” T3 Architects, T3 Architects, 15 Feb. 2022, https://www.t3architects.com/tcportfolio/coconut-club-green-building-park-design-architecture-cambodia/.

20 Caballero, Pilar. “Ravana Pool Club / PT Penjor Bali Mandiri.” ArchDaily, ArchDaily, 1 Aug. 2022, https://www. archdaily.com/986185/ravana-pool-club-pt-penjor-bali-mandiri?ad_source=search&ad_medium=projects_tab.

21 “Ravana Pool Club - Life: Daily Mirror.” Life | Daily Mirror, 29 July 2022, https://www.dailymirror.lk/life/Ravana-Pool-Club/243-241977.

22 Formalejo, Rick. “Ravana Pool Club: A Bamboo Beach Club with a Mountain View.” BluPrint, 2 Aug. 2022, https:// bluprint.onemega.com/ravana-pool-club-a-bamboo-beach-club-with-a-mountain-view/.

23 Abdel, Hana. “Desa Hay Resort / Arkana Architects.” ArchDaily, ArchDaily, 7 Oct. 2022, https://www.archdaily. com/990121/desa-hay-resort-arkana-architects.

24 “Projects.” Arkana Architects, 24 Nov. 2022, https://arkanaarchitects.com/projects/.

14 Aquino, Jamm. “Reflecting on a Street Scene.” Honolulu Star Bulletin, 7 Mar. 2006.

15 Gomes, Andrew. “Queen Emma Site Set for Conversion.” Honolulu Star Advertiser, 20 Oct. 2010.

16 Gomes, Andrew. “Downtown Honolulu’s Queen Emma Building to Become Affordable Housing.” Honolulu Star Advertiser, 13 July 2018..

25 “Курорт Деса Хей / Arkana Architects.” Decor Design, 8 Oct. 2022, https://decor.design/kurort-desa-hej-arkana-architects/.