Hyatt Regency Waikiki

The grand atrium, the Hyatt chain's architectural signature for the past thirty-five years, rises only seven stories at this hotel, but is open to the sky. A tropical oasis vitalized by a three-story waterfall and smaller cascades, the atrium is the palm-filled climax of the 1,230-room hotel's open floor plan. Four tall, doorless entrances provide access to the block-long “interior” arcade, more a continuation of the sidewalk than the first story of a hotel; this arcade parallels Kalakaua Avenue and connects the two thirty-nine-story, octagonal towers. Coral-block walls lend a local accent to these lush entrances with their suspended bronze sculptures by Edward Brown-lee. Developed by Chris Hemmeter, the Hyatt was the most expensive building project undertaken in Hawaii at the time of its construction.