Dillingham Transportation Building
The Dillingham Transportation Building is one of the few historic and recognizable business buildings left in downtown Honolulu. While most of Honolulu’s former well-known business buildings have been replaced by modern high-rises of glass and steel, the Dillingham Transportation Building’s architecture gives one time to admire its beauty of a time gone by. Built in 1929, the Mediterranean/Italian Renaissance style building was designed by architect Lincoln Rogers. The building consists of three wings connected by a covered arcade and spans from Queen Street to Ala Moana Boulevard. It features an Art Deco lobby, painted high ceilings, and a classical cornice.
This building’s architect, Lincoln Rogers, also designed the former Armed Forces YMCA, now the Hawaii State Art Museum in the same Italian Renaissance Revival style. However, it is the Dillingham Transportation Building’s lobby design which prominently features Art Deco elements that differs from its Florentine façade. Art Deco’s strong geometric, precise lines and strong colors which was popular at that time are evident. The expansive lobby has polished earth-toned marble flooring and stunning bronze motifs (check out the inlaid bronze tile liners and elevator fixtures).
- Dillingham’s Florentine facade
- Art deco interior contrasts from the Italian Renaissance Revival exterior
- Dillingham Transportation Building from Bishop Street and Ala Moana Boulevard
- the back side of the Dillingham Transportation Building
- the front of Dillingham Transportation Building facing Bishop Street
- Italian Renaissance Revival archways of the Dillingham Transportation Building