First Hawaiian Center, Honolulu

The First Hawaiian Center serves as the main office of the First Hawaiian Bank, which happens to be the oldest bank in Hawaii. This building holds the distinction of being the tallest in Hawaii and also houses the Contemporary Arts Museum. This led to some controversy because many buildings in Hawaii tend to blend more harmoniously with the natural landscape, and some residents were worried that a skyscraper like this might disrupt the beautiful skyline and overall scenery of Hawaii.

Originally, the plans called for a 350-foot-tall building, but the developer pushed for it to be increased to 450 feet. As a compromise, the height limit was set at 400 feet, but the final structure ended up slightly exceeding this, by just under 29 feet.

Despite being a modern skyscraper, the First Hawaiian Center was designed with a lot of consideration for incorporating elements of Hawaii's natural beauty. The design includes horizontal windows that offer views of the sea and vertical ones that frame the mountains. The entire building was also planned to make the most of natural sunlight. Its triangular shape and segmented exterior were intended to reduce the visual impact of its substantial size.

Inside the Contemporary Arts Museum, you'll find a spacious atrium that reaches a height of 60 feet, featuring finishes in pear and anigre wood, Arabascata marble, and stainless steel.