Ala Moana Shopping Center, Honolulu, HI (other) - Locating Tiki

A aquarj Tiki Socialite SF bay area, CA Joined: Apr 02, 2002 Posts: 1125	A aquarj Posted posted on Wed, Jul 25, 2012 1:24 AM Got a few pics to share of the Ala Moana, and specifically the Waiola fountain by George Tsutakawa, which is still there. I really like this sculpture, and also Tsutakawa's style in general, so I made a post in Beyond Tiki with more general info about him. Although the sculpture seems to have echoes of Hawaiiana, I think it actually has more to do with Tsutakawa's style rather than any overt intentional Hawaiian influence, which becomes clearer when you see it in the context of his other work. Still, it's very interesting how it fits into that modernist Hawaiian style that was like a time capsule of the mid 60s there. First up, here's an older color photo of the Waiola fountain... Now some recent pics... Notice how the water is just coming out in one place now, versus the exuberant blasts churning up the pool all over the place in the older photo. Probably not 1000 gallons a minute anymore! While admiring the fountain, I looked up and noticed probably the coolest Macy's exterior I've ever seen. By and large, Ala Moana is like a regular mall now. There's not much discernible of that beautiful style from the concept drawings earlier in this thread, and of course the Brownlee carvings are long gone (some of my very favorite work by him). But it's nice to see these details that still survive! -Randy

Got a few pics to share of the Ala Moana, and specifically the Waiola fountain by George Tsutakawa, which is still there. I really like this sculpture, and also Tsutakawa's style in general, so I made a post in Beyond Tiki with more general info about him.

Although the sculpture seems to have echoes of Hawaiiana, I think it actually has more to do with Tsutakawa's style rather than any overt intentional Hawaiian influence, which becomes clearer when you see it in the context of his other work. Still, it's very interesting how it fits into that modernist Hawaiian style that was like a time capsule of the mid 60s there.

First up, here's an older color photo of the Waiola fountain...

Now some recent pics...

Notice how the water is just coming out in one place now, versus the exuberant blasts churning up the pool all over the place in the older photo. Probably not 1000 gallons a minute anymore!

While admiring the fountain, I looked up and noticed probably the coolest Macy's exterior I've ever seen.

By and large, Ala Moana is like a regular mall now. There's not much discernible of that beautiful style from the concept drawings earlier in this thread, and of course the Brownlee carvings are long gone (some of my very favorite work by him). But it's nice to see these details that still survive!

-Randy

Post #645498 by aquarj on Wed, Jul 25, 2012 1:24 AM