Commercial & residential architecture across the Hawaiian Islands offers a fresh expression of modern Pacific style
Translating the natural beauty of the landscape into a contemporary sanctuary with a daze of indulgences and modern design, the Andaz Maui evokes a warm, forward-thinking tone. For architecture to qualify as an oasis in the lushest oasis of all—the island of Maui—it must be truly spectacular, if not entirely of this Earth, such is the benchmark.
That the Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort is precisely this is a credit to the Rockwell Group, which helmed a brilliant redesign to give the luxury hotel what it previously lacked: a clear connective quality to local culture. Gone are remnants of colonial Hawaiiana, replaced with indigenous materials, like teak and lava stone, and a relation to the exterior world: rolling waves and gentle trade winds. With free-form loungers resting on a delicately raked bed of sand underneath a mammoth skylight in the lobby, the sandpit is the centerpiece that informs the design.
The bends of a stunning wooden spiral staircase echo the curves of a Hawaiian canoe, while reflecting pools bordering the breezeway and exquisite Japanese sculpture display an Asian influence. The spa, meanwhile, is a contemporary take on ancient apothecaries, while residential-style villas tout custom furniture, local art and large windows that frame hypnotic ocean views that look close enough to touch.
This is more than a hotel; it’s Hawaii in the modern age—an environment that expresses the true and unmanufactured spirit of Aloha.
Written by Jenn Thornton
Photographs: courtesy of Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort/Hyatt Corporation