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| This watercolor painting demonstrates the new Ala Wai skyline after The Watermark Waikiki is completed. |
Just
past Ala Moana Beach Park, at the beginning of Waikiki, one new
condominium complex is just a concrete and metal promise of what is to
come. But, to-be-residents know exactly what they are getting. In fact,
they’ve taken tours, previewed color palettes, gazed out of
not-yet-constructed windows.
Luckily for them, all of this is virtual—no hard hats are required to preview The Watermark Waikiki.
Designers
with interior design firm Philpotts & Associates planned and
sketched the interiors. Then, special-effects artists rendered virtual
condos. The project’s Web site offers a 360-degree view of each room.
“The
buyers can feel the space and build an emotional attachment to the home
before it is even built,” says Jon Staub, principle designer of
Philpotts & Associates. Virtually experiencing the new interiors
makes The Watermark come to life.
Recent
virtual-technology advances have added even more realism to The
Watermark design. The display furniture was specifically designed for
this project. Staub says, “Prior, we relied on clipart. Now we are able
to render the characteristics of the furniture, artwork, even views
from the windows.”
The
ambition of Watermark developer Intracorp and its partner Architects
Hawaii is “a cohesive environment that has a timeless quality,” Staub
says. To create that environment, Philpotts & Associates toured
local landmarks: the Pacific Club, Outrigger Canoe Club and Halekulani
on Oahu and Mauna Kea Hotel on the Big Island.
Next,
Staub asked himself three questions. First, who will live in the space?
Urban dwellers who know what they want out of life, he says. Second,
what is the character of the building? And, third, how does the
building fit into the landscape? His conclusion was that The Watermark
is a modern building that has a sense of place. |
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| (left)
Painstaking attention to detail (chopsticks, surf in the distance)
makes this computer rendering look and feel real. (right) From another
angle, the virtual condo shows off its Viking appliances and African
mahogany cabinetry. |
The
interior designers chose materials to match this interpretation. They
selected furniture-like cabinetry in warm African mahogany.
Sand-colored Brazilian granite covers the countertops. Honey-toned
paint invites you into each room. Viking appliances round out the
high-end yet functional kitchen.
“We
chose a neutral, resort palette. The Watermark is different, and we
tried to convey an elegant relationship to the environment,” Staub
explains. “However, if someone has a collection of African artifacts,
or they like contemporary furniture or ’30s Hawaiiana, they will all be
at home. It is the neutrality that allows people to live in the space,
not the space live on them.”
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| Staub,
with the designers from Philpotts & Associates, created virtual
furniture to match the downtown, beachfront feel of the property. |
When
it is completed, the complex will feature 210 luxurious condos, plus
two penthouses, each with more than 1,100 square feet in an open floor
plan. Elegant interiors, floor-to-ceiling windows and wide-open lanai
show off the ocean, yacht harbor and city.
World-class
amenities match its design. Situated on 4 acres of prime Waikiki real
estate, the planners designated 2 whole acres for indigenous trees and
native flowers on expansive lawns. A fitness pavilion, an infinity pool
and lush gardens surround the downtown site in serenity.
“Residents
of The Watermark want to live there for the best of two worlds, which
are world-class beaches at their doorsteps and the energy and
excitement of living in a metropolitan home,” says Staub.
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A warm, sandy palette gives residents the feeling of living in a spa.
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Sales manager Robin Markle describes the Watermark as “a perfect blend of contemporary and traditional island living.”
So,
who will be moving in? Markle says that residents will be a blend of
buyers from Hawaii, the mainland and foreign locales. They are moving
into second homes, downsizing from large family abodes or creating a
haven for retirement.
Wherever
they come from, the residents will undoubtedly enjoy this new gateway
to Waikiki. “It is a rare environment where we have world-class beaches
and a world-class city,” Staub says. “The Watermark has both—it
delivers on its promises.”
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| Complete virtual renderings offer a glimpse of the cityscape and Ala Moana Beach Park. |
