Our Town: Name That Building

The ’50s and ’60s were a fertile period for Honolulu architecture. See if you can identify these beautifully funky buildings from the Statehood era.

Answers can be found at the bottom of the page.

This sanctuary with chocolate-chip-esque walls was designed by Alfred Preis in 1955.

Jo Paul Rognstad designed this building in 1960 for physician and weight-lifting guru Dr. Richard W. You. Once known as the Acme Building, neighborhood wags dubbed it the Acne Building.

Architect Vladimir Ossipoff took a literal approach to designing this building’s façade—it resembles the product of its 1960s owner.

No, it’s not a Sherman-Williams store. This seven-story exercise in color was built in 1954, and once housed the Radio Free Music Center.

When it was built in 1950, this building didn’t have the unique upper section that’s made it one of Honolulu’s most loved (and hated) buildings.

Until a few years ago, this 1956 building was a purely utilitarian structure. These days, it hosts a wide variety of art and culture, while still serving its original purpose.

ANSWERS
1 First United Methodist Church (1028 Beretania St.)
2 Queen Emma Building (1270 Queen Emma St.)
3 IBM Building (1240 Ala Moana Blvd.)
4 Hawaiian Life Building (1311 Kapiolani Blvd.)
5 The Occidental Life Insurance building (1163 Beretania St.)
6 Mark’s Garage (1159 Nu‘uanu Ave.)

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