City & County of Honolulu
Honolulu Zoo
Honolulu, Hawaii
Completed 2011
The new Entrance & Gift Shop establishes a safe and welcoming entry point for the Honolulu Zoo. In keeping with the Zoo Master Plan, it has a strong visual presence at the corner of historic Kapiʻolani Park and Kalākaua Avenue that helps the zoo attract more visitors. The buildings include shaded space for ticket purchasing and queuing, a gift shop, and concierge space.
The design creates a beacon at the most prominent corner of Kapiʻolani Park, welcoming visitors to the zoo and the expansive park beyond. The lantern concept responded to a legal requirement prohibiting direct views into a commercial enterprise on zoo property. To provide daylighting into the space, a continuous wall of windows is located above opaque rammed-earth walls. A shed roof exposes its wood underside and makes its interior lighting visible on the exterior.
Recognitions
Award of Merit, 2011
Project of the Year, 2011
Grand Award Winner for Public Works Structure, 2012