ILWU is the refurbishment of office areas for a
local Union, whose members are mainly in the hospitality
industry. The original building was designed by
the Bauhaus Architect Alfred Preis upon his immigration
to Hawaii. Preis had particular interest in socialist
principles, which he incorporated into his work.
The refurbishment of this building was anchored
by an understanding of the original intent and respectful
intervention. One of the main features of the building
is a mural located in the lobby area which spans
3 levels. The mural was painted by Pablo O'Higgins,
a student of Diego Rivera, and depicts the struggle
of workers. Restoration of the mural was an integral
part of the building work. The refurbishment is
deliberately understated, and consisted in large
part of updating the building's systems. Internal
spaces were also refurbished, in many instances
by salvaging original elements of the building,
restoring and reusing these. An ice-assist cooling
system was installed, which reduces operating costs
by using electric power during non-peak times to
make ice, which then melts during the hot day and
cools the air within.
