Honolulu
WATG was founded in 1945 in Honolulu, Hawaii. After outgrowing its space in Waikiki, WATG relocated to downtown Honolulu in 1997, where it now occupies a floor and a half in the Topa Financial Center on Bishop Street. Windows all around offer uplifting views to the waterfront and/or the mountains. The staff is organized into "project families," and the work spans the Hawaiian Islands and the entire Asia Pacific region. During each Chinese New Year, the office welcomes Lion Dancers in search of lucky dollar bills. With aloha attire as the norm, who knows what casual dress days would look like?
WATG Honolulu's Green Business Manual
Managing Director
Craig Takahata
Wimberly Interiors Studio Director
Mary Suenaga
Contact Info
WATG + Wimberly Interiors
700 Bishop Street, #1800
Honolulu, HI 96813 USA
Tel +1 (808) 521-8888
Fax +1 (808) 521-3888
How To Get Here
FROM HONOLULU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Exit airport onto the H1 Eastbound
Freeway entrance (right fork). We are 4 miles from the airport.
Stay in the right lane which goes to NIMITZ HIGHWAY (92).
Follow NIMITZ HIGHWAY and make a U-turn at traffic light on the corner of ALAKEA STREET and NIMITZ HIGHWAY.
This will take you westbound on NIMITZ HIGHWAY.
Go past BISHOP STREET, and turn right into the TOPA FINANCIAL CENTER parking garage.
Our office is located on the 18th floor of the BISHOP STREET TOWER.
FROM WAIKIKI
Take ALA MOANA BOULEVARD westbound to Downtown Honolulu. ALA MOANA BOULEVARD turns into NIMITZ HIGHWAY.
Go past MILILANI, RICHARDS, ALAKEA and BISHOP STREETS. Our office is located on the corner of BISHOP STREET and NIMITZ HIGHWAY.
Turn right into the TOPA FINANCIAL CENTER parking garage.
Our office is located on the 18th floor of the BISHOP STREET TOWER.
VIA TAXI
$12.00 to $15.00 (US$) from the airport to WATG.
$23.00 to $26.00 (US$) from the airport to WAIKIKI. Operated by SIDA Taxis which has the contract concession at the Honolulu International Airport.
$12.00 to $15.00 (US$) from WAIKIKI to WATG, depending on which taxicab you use.
The Topa Financial Center, which has a white vertical facade, consists of two towers (Bishop Street and Fort Street), and is serviced by three different elevator banks (one for each tower, and another for the parking garage).
Contact This Office
Blogs From Our Honolulu People
04.19.13 / AIA Waikiki Walking Tour
Biwen Li, Designer
This past weekend, Jon Lee and I volunteered for the 2013 AIA Waikiki Walking Tour. We served as docents for the Bank of Hawaii Building and the Waikiki Business Plaza. We stood on Kalakaua Avenue on Saturday morning, shouted over traffic noise, and offered information about the two Waikiki landmarks. Nearly 300 people took part in the tour in 18 separate groups.
02.01.13 / Meeting NFL Legends
Craig Takahata, Vice President
Last week, I was invited to attend the 2013 Hawaii Business Black Book Event -- sort of. Actually, our CEO, Mike Seyle was originally invited as this was an event for CEOs, but since Mike was in California, the event organizers scratched off his name from the invitation and wrote my name in his place.
12.10.12 / Xian Kick-off
Ruoyun Sun, Senior Associate
After nearly two years of waiting, the XiAn Terracotta hotel project is ready to start. The site is only a short five-minute walk to the famous Terracotta Warriors at the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. The project's location will make it the closest hotel to this UNESCO World Heritage Site, creating the potential for three million visitors annually to have the opportunity to experience the hotel we are about to design.
05.03.12 / Signing on the dotted line in Yunnan
Craig Takahata, Vice President
I recently had the honor of participating in a signing ceremony hosted by our client, Jingcheng Group for the Jingcheng Ruili Bay International Resort. George Berean and Trey Frank were also there to represent WATG.
04.27.12 / Strengthening WATG-Morocco Relations
Trey Frank, Director of Planning,Senior Associate
On April 2nd I had the privilege of attending a luncheon hosted by the University of Hawaii School of Travel Industry Management honoring His Excellency Mohamed Rachad Bouhlal, Ambassador to the United States for the Kingdom of Morocco, and several other delegates; President of the Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer Region Council, M.M. Bouamor Taghouan; Director General of the Agency of the South, M. Ahmed Hajji and Secretary General of Economic and Social Council of Morocco, M. Driss Guerraui. The luncheon celebrated the Morocco-Hawaii Sister State relationship and the donation of an authentic Moroccan fountain to be installed on the grounds of the Hawaii State Art Museum along Richards Street.
04.04.12 / WATG on Local Chinese TV
Tiffany Lee, Designer
WATG, Belt Collins International, Hilton International, PIA International, John Chan Designs, GOCO Hospitality, and Ningbo Sunland Real Estate Company gathered in Xiangshan, China for a final meeting. This completes our design for the Hilton Xiangshan Resort Hotel. The project features 16 hotel villas, a presidential villa, and a wellness center.
02.29.12 / Niu Valley Middle School's 2012 Career Day
Grace Ko, Interior Designer
A few weeks ago, Tiffany Lee and I participated in the Niu Valley Middle School's annual career day. Sixth, seventh and eighth grade students attended two sessions that introduced them to possible career choices. Tiffany and I represented architecture and interior design.
12.05.11 / Reflections on a staff swap
Kevin Ho, Planner
If you go to another WATG office halfway around the world, what would be different? This was the context of my trip as I embarked to London on a four month exchange this summer. Earlier this year, WATG wanted to initiate a staff swap program to foster greater interaction between offices. I think it took me less than a minute to write my request after it was announced. The exchange was discussed and agreed between the Managing Directors and senior leaders of each office. Afterwards, Kirsty Rutherford, my partner in the swap, and I agreed on our exchange date and off we went.
09.26.11 / WATG-U
Dori Gusman, Project Manager,Associate
The Honolulu office presents a bi-monthly lunch-and-learn program we call WATG-U. Each session builds upon previous presentations and keeps our designers, managers and technical staff engaged in lively conversations about contemporary design techniques and processes. It's a great opportunity to learn ? without exams or papers! In this session, the legendary George Berean shares his experiences in working with Pete Wimberly and inspires all of us to think about how we approach design in this day and age.
07.25.11 / Branding by Design
Howard J. Wolff, Senior Vice President
Design is a critical aspect of any brand's positioning.
I recently had the honor of presenting some insights on the subject at the Cornell Brand Management Roundtable, hosted by Professor Chekitan Dev, PH.D. and The Center for Hospitality Research.
When it comes to branding hotels and resorts, both art and science are involved. Under the category of art comes stunning photography, which is one way to showcase a property and communicate its "wow" factor.
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