Fukumoto Apartment Building

Fukumoto Apartment Building

Fukumoto Apartment Building Photograph by Kaoru Lovett
Photo 2 of Fukumoto Apartment Building
1948, Yoshio Kunimoto. 2424 Kapiolani Blvd.

Vaguely Wrightian in spirit, this modest, eight-unit, walk-up apartment building is a picture of right-angled symmetry, with the two wings of its L-shaped plan identical in size and mass. Sensitively detailed, it is grounded at its corners by glass-block-embellished, semi-enclosed stairways. The cantilevered second-story lanai corridor shelters the first story, and, in turn, is sheltered by the overhanging flat roof. A corbeled, masonry-block balustrade with an open grille pattern adds texture and visual energy. The transoms' carefully crafted, Asian decorative work and the downward-tapering blocks at the intersection of the stairs and lanai contribute to the design cohesiveness. The landscaped front court adds a tropical resonance.

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