YWCA Building, Mediterranean Revival clubhouse in downtown Honolulu, US.
The YWCA Building on Richards Street is a Mediterranean Revival clubhouse consisting of two connected units linked by a central loggia. It features open-air corridors, a swimming pool, and a spacious courtyard for gatherings.
Architect Julia Morgan designed this structure in 1926 following a successful fundraising effort. The building rose on land that was previously known as the Laniakea Tract.
The name Laniākea, Hawaiian for 'immense heaven', was adopted for the building; the site itself came from the Laniakea Tract of the Allen Estate. The Elizabeth Fuller Memorial Hall is named for a charter member of the Hawaiian Girls Club who died in India while touring with a Hawaiian entertainers' group; the club raised $1,000 toward the hall.
The building is located downtown and easily accessible on foot, with ample space for events and tours. Visitors should check ahead to confirm which areas are open to the public, since the facility remains in active use.
Laniākea is Hawaiian for 'immense heaven', the name now used officially for the Richards Street Y. The site came from a portion of the Laniakea Tract, bought from the Allen Estate in 1924 for $238,566, so the name recalls the land as much as the sky.
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