Location
County of Hilo, HI
Status
Completed 1996
Client
County of Hilo, Hawaii
Cost
—
As a lead design consultant, KGP Principal Donald Paine developed the design for a new 120,000 sf State of Hawaii courthouse including courtrooms, clerical areas, public waiting areas and below-grade parking. The site, Hilo Bay in Honolulu is an area known equally for its warm tropical weather as well as its infamous Tsunami history. Taking these important contextual and environmental factors into account, the primary exterior material is painted stucco, an attempt to respect its historical context. Steel brackets suspend a shallow vaulted metal roof over the complex, a form based on local vernacular.
Lower level public facilities, circulation zones, courtrooms and other areas are designed to take advantage of cooling crosswinds. The six courtrooms, upper level support areas and below grade holding areas are designed to rigid standards. This allows for a complex network of circulation while maintaining clarity and simplicity to provide for a state of the art facility.