Project Update: Check out our Hawaii office’s endeavor, The Waihonua Condominiums in Kelowa, HI. The project consists of a 400’ tall, 485,000 sf, 43-story high-rise with 341 units.
A note from our principal Mike in Hawaii: “The challenges facing the designers of Waihonua included squeezing 6 stories in a podium height limit of 45’ and ancient Hawaiian burials which were found on the western portion site. The burial site could not be disturbed so the tower footprint had to be modified to cantilever over the site. Additionally, the location of this new tower between 4 other towers nearby was the cause of increased wind loads as indicated by a wind tunnel study as vortex shedding off the adjacent towers severely affected our wind loads. A conventional shear wall system to resist the wind and seismic loads was utilized, and a posttensioned concrete flat plate system was considered to be the most economical floor system. Due to the longer spans in the tower a 7 ½ “ slab was required and a 7” slab was utilized for the parking podium.”