“The idea was for the new Club to look like it had been here for many years. We didn’t want it to look like a brand new club, which meant that the trees that came in could not be of the young variety.” — Cline Mann
Club is actually a combination of six separate structures: the garage; volleyball court, locker rooms and Snack Shop; lobby; Ka Mo‘i Boathouse; kitchen; and Koa Lanai. “We decided that we would do our best within our means to produce something of high quality without skimping on anything,” shared the late John Cline Mann—chairman of the New Site Building Committee when this site was being planned and built—in his oral history. In the late 1990s, OCC’s Architectural Review Commit- tee made recommendations for any changes to meet the new demands of the expanding membership. Though suggestions were favorable, the concept to alter and compromise the integ- rity of Ossipo’s original design was ultimately voted down. Up until 1963, the old Outrigger Canoe Club location was in the heart of Waikīkī between The Royal Hawaiian and the Moana Surfrider, where the Outrigger Waikīkī Beach Resort now stands. It looked decidedly Polynesian. It was
The lobby is a welcoming space for all, complete with raan furni¤re, warm wooden details, tropical plants and plen¥ of na¤ral light.
The grid of concrete columns used for the Hau Terrace are encrusted with coral and local stone, creating a beautiful textured podium. A carefully crafted series of trellises and shelters float above. This natural canopy of trees and plants provide coziness and shade, fostering that connection to the elements. The original specifications of this innovative technique called for 10-percent of the wall surfaces to be made of this coral block. The first sample of the 10-percent could hardly be discerned, however, so the final specification was closer to 30- or 40-percent. Member and fellow architect Sid Snyder, who spent years working alongside Ossipo, has pointed out that regardless of how many times a person has walked through the Clubhouse, they are not consciously aware that the
16 AMA | january / february 2024
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