Urban design is an end state. It is a picture, at a given point in time, of a community with respect to its physical form and shape, color, activity patterns, landscape texture, open spaces and natural assets, and other attributes which come together to make a visual statement about the economic stature and quality of life in that community. Therefore, "urban design" of a community is the visual product of countless public and private actions.

Urban design is also a purposeful exercise through which the arrangement of activities, structures, and vegetation are proposed, reviewed, modified and finalized, so as to bring about a desired objective concerning the use of space or land. Under this definition, the "urban design" of a community encompasses not only the physical appearance and atmosphere created in its various parts, but also the design practices that will be acceptable to the community. Such practices are the methods the community has chosen to bring about certain desired appearances and atmosphere within the urban landscape.

Everyone in the community has a vested interest in and can benefit from its urban design. An attractive and functionally designed environment attracts people who, in turn, become the customers of businesses and residents of homes located within or nearby. Spacious well-designed open areas, and easily accessible and safe recreational facilities and areas encourage people to be active and socialize, [benefitting] benefiting themselves and nearby businesses. Such areas allow sunlight and air, with their uplifting effects, to weave throughout the many parts of the community reaching all who live and work there, while at the same time, make available to them privacy and views that would otherwise be lost behind closely packed buildings. Diverse land uses occupy the same structure and being compatibly located and designed make for exciting lifestyles as well as efficient living.

In Chapter 206E, HRS, the Legislature recognized the very important role of urban design in the redevelopment of the Kakaako District. The Legislature's guidance policies describe desired design results that are to be achieved during and after redevelopment. In effect, the Legislature has set forth: (l) the design practices it desires to have implemented during redevelopment; (2) the physical environment it deems proper with respect to land use, transportation, housing, and other community attributes; and (3) the kind of end state community it deems appropriate for the Kakaako District in 25 to 30 years.

The purpose of this Urban Design section is to describe in detail that end-state community. This is accomplished by describing the appearance or atmosphere of the community and stating the policies of the redevelopment design practices which will assist in realizing the end state.

Today, the Mauka Area is essentially the result of numerous transitions in land uses that have taken place over the past 80 years. These parcel-by-parcel changes are but bits and pieces of an overall gradual change of the Mauka Area from a residential community to a semi-commercial and industrial area. Consequently, the Mauka Area lacks cohesion and its uses appear disorganized. The absence of comprehensive planning and redevelopment have contributed much to this current problem.

This plan is committed to the redevelopment of Mauka Area in accordance with the development guidance policies expressed in Chapter 206E, HRS. A major responsibility which accompanies that commitment is the task of ensuring that the planned community design will promote the social and economic goals that the Legislature has set forth for the Mauka Area. The following sections describe the urban form and related detailed urban design policies that will bring about achievement of those goals.

ABOVE THE 45-foot PLATFORM LEVEL - In physical form the Mauka Area will be a diverse community with slender towers seeming to rise from the decks of platforms. The platforms generally will be 45 feet in height. The towers will contain housing with some office commercial space. They will be dispersed throughout the Mauka Area, some reaching 400 feet in height. Their shape and size will permit views from within and outside the Mauka Area. Their orientation and siting will be controlled to minimize blocking of major view objects observable from within and outside the Mauka Area. Towers will typically be situated upon a large, heavily landscaped deck. Towers should be unique as well as functional in design and appearance; and a variety of forms will be encouraged throughout the Mauka Area to achieve further community diversity.

Forty-five foot high platforms will be present throughout the Mauka Area, forming "new land" upon which people-oriented spaces will abound. In effect, the decks of these platforms will become a new "living" environment. Requiring open space on these decks will allow the development of heavily landscaped open spaces between towers. This will result in broad views of green shrubbery and vegetation from the windows of residences and offices.

The landscaped decks will also be a place of recreation. Leisure activities such as jogging, swimming, picnics and court games will be accommodated. During the working day, employees of businesses located within the Mauka Area will be able to utilize the park-like decks to enjoy their lunches and breaks, and maybe even engage in some form of physical exercise. In the evening hours, residents and their guests would use the same park-like settings for recreational activities; socializing, [barbequeing,] barbecuing, and other relaxing activities will also be enjoyed. To ensure individual safety, the park-like decks will be well lighted at night and may require security personnel as needed.

Also expected to locate on the decks of platforms are certain convenience or specialty retail shops together with public facilities such as small public and private parks and recreation areas. Child and elderly care centers capable of serving residences and offices in the immediate vicinity are foreseen. Ornamental features in certain areas designed to facilitate passive recreation, benches and rest areas, pedestrianways for leisurely strolls will also be provided. All of these uses and appurtenant structures, will compliment the park-like settings and recreation activities occurring on the decks and will encourage use by residents and employees from nearby.

The upper-level pedestrianways will connect adjacent decks, creating a system of open space. In addition to the recreational purposes they serve, the pedestrianways shall also be the key mode of movement between residences and offices, and the many retail stores expected to locate within the various platforms.

Access to all of the activities and uses occurring on the decks from the commercial uses and parking areas within the platforms and from the streets will be provided by elevators, steps, ramps and/or escalators. These will link businesses and grade-level activity with the park-like decks and towers above.

AT GRADE AND WITHIN THE PLATFORM - A walk in the mauka direction along any major street would provide many visual experiences. From most of the mauka-makai streets a framed view of the Koolau mountain range will be experienced due to view corridor setback requirements. Landscaping and selected street trees will extend the length of the corridor. Buildings at grade will be set back from the street beginning at the building setback line, and on view corridor streets terraced from the street at a l foot setback per l foot of height up from the 20-foot height to the 45-foot height where the platform decks are located (Figure l8). Within that terraced portion, landscaping that is harmonious to and complimentary with the building facade will be required. Such terracing will create a gradual transition to the upper levels. The residential/office towers on the upper levels will not have an overpowering appearance from the street due to their slender shapes and setback requirements.

At the street level, a look to the left and right will reveal building facades which are in harmony with respect to shape, texture, appearance, color, informational and advertising signs, and other characteristics. In front of these facades and within the required front yard setback areas will be landscaping and wide sidewalks. There may be an occasional outdoor lanai connected to an adjacent eating establishment, enhancing the visual diversity of the streetscape. On all major roadways, street curbs will not be lined with parked vehicles ensuring a pedestrian orientation even at this level. With the exception of street lights, traffic signals, fire hydrants, and emergency phones, no overhead wires or structures will appear within the streetscape. The use of benches, bus shelters and street trees located adjacent to the public rights-of-way will unify the streetscape. Minor streets will display similar characteristics as major streets with the exception of the terraced facade. The terrace facade is the result of the l-to-l setback required along the view corridor streets.

Within the interior of the 45-foot high platforms, many [activites] activities will take place in an organized and harmonious fashion. Shoppers will patronize the stores, entering from the adjoining street, from elevators or escalators servicing enclosed parking structures, or from elevators and ramps linked with the office spaces and homes situated in the towers. Occasional arcades may be found within the platform interiors. Shops, restaurants, boutiques and other diverse commercial enterprises will occupy spaces set aside for commercial uses.

Light and service industrial activities, either separated from or attached to certain commercial floor space, will also be operating within the interiors of the platforms. To mitigate any adverse environmental effects on commercial and residential uses within the same or adjacent sites, industrial uses shall adhere to design performance standards established in the community development rules. Loading and unloading of goods and services to industrial tenants will take place in areas wholly screened from shopping areas, streets, and pedestrianways; in short, from public view.

This vision of the Mauka Area's future is achievable, since creative design standards and reviews are required of all new developments in the Mauka Area.

Major view corridors are intended to retain mauka-makai and Ewa-Diamond Head views along designated streets (Figure l9). These view corridors also reinforce the urban design objectives of providing light and air at street level by requiring upper-level setback of buildings away from the street.

Streets designated for view corridor preservation include: Piikoi, South, Punchbowl, Cooke, Kamakee, Ward, Queen, Pohukaina, Auahi (between Ward and Queen), Kapiolani, Ala Moana, King and Pensacola.

View corridor setbacks control the location and configuration of buildings. The view corridor setback starts at the yard setback line and includes a 1:1 sloping plane from the 20-foot height level to the 45-foot height level resulting in a 40-foot setback from the property line or the proposed roadway setback line to the edge of the platform deck. A setback of 35 feet shall be imposed from the deck edge to the base of the tower. In total the tower will be a minimum of 75 feet from the property line or the proposed roadway setback line. These setback requirements apply along the designated public streets. The configuration of the view corridor setback is depicted in Figure l8.

Above the platform deck (45 feet) the tower or other structure may not cover more than 8,000 square feet for Planned Development lots of 20,000 square feet up to but not including 40,000 square feet in size; no more than l4,000 square feet for Planned Development lots of 40,000 square feet up to but not including 80,000 square feet in size; and no more than l6,000 square feet for Planned Development lots of 80,000 square feet.

One tower will be permitted for each planned development lot of 80,000 square feet or less. The height and size of any tower will vary according to the size of the parcel and proposals toward meeting public policy objectives. For lots greater than 20,000 square feet but less than 40,000 square feet, the tower shall not exceed l00 feet. For lots greater than or equal to 40,000 square feet but less than 80,000 square feet, the tower shall not exceed 200 feet. For lots greater than or equal to 80,000 square feet, a maximum height of 400 feet shall be observed.

Spacing between building towers is predicated upon the tower location on a parcel and distances among neighboring towers. On-site tower location is determined by view corridor setbacks, upper-level setbacks and tower coverage. Within those parameters, final tower location is determined by the designer with the approval of the Authority in the Design Review Process. If at all physically possible, the long parallel sides of neighboring towers should be no closer than 300 feet. A 200-foot spacing between the short side of towers is recommended. For better air flow, long rows of parallel buildings shall be avoided.

The Mauka Area's tropical climate is characterized as sunny and mild throughout the year. The desirable prevailing winds come from the northeast the year round while the seasonal kona winds come from the southerly direction. These winds bring thunderstorms and heavy rains, the frequency of which is about six times a year.

For low-rise buildings up to 45 feet in height, where the walls would not be greatly exposed to solar radiation (particularly if properly shaded), orientation for winds is desirable. The climate analysis in Phase III indicated that for the long axis of the building the recommended orientation should be between 25� and 55� east of south. This direction is optimal for catching the prevailing breezes.

Based on the climate analysis in Phase III avoidance of the sun should be the decisive factor for high-rise buildings taller than 45 feet in height. Thus, whenever possible, the long axis should be oriented between 35� and 65� west of south. This direction would minimize heatload by facing the narrower side of the building to direct sunlight, and sufficiently high to catch prevailing breezes. These factors shall be considered in the design review of all new buildings in the Mauka Area.

Activities requiring direct sunlight tend to be recreational (e.g., sunbathing) or those using the sun as an energy resource (e.g., solar heater collectors). Solar collectors become inefficient when the azimuth angle of the sun is greater than 45 degrees. The critical day is during mid-winter (December 2l or 22) when the sun is at its lowest angle in altitude. Consequently, calculations for solar access in the Mauka Area should use December 2l (altitude angle -25�) and the time between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. (azimuth angles +45� to -45�). Building spacing shall be approved only after taking into consideration the shadow effect on neighboring buildings. Solar collectors may be placed on roofs and not necessarily on the ground as long as they are positioned and located to blend into the surrounding environment.

It is desirable for all buildings which enclose work or living activities to be penetrated by natural light.

Landscaping guidelines include the following treatment, individually or in combination: Ground covers, either plant material or surface treatment, i.e., cobble-stone paving; shrubs planted in the ground or in planters; trees; or an architectural feature, i.e., art piece.

Areas along the rights-of-ways will also be landscaped. Designated tree species should also be provided for visual continuity and shade along the rights-of-way. These tree species and spacing along streets are as follows:

Along major streets, the area between the curb and the sidewalk shall be landscaped. Plants should not exceed 30 inches in height. However, grass shall be grown in the areas adjacent to the curb where parking is allowed. Where landscaping is provided between the sidewalk and building, taller plant material is allowed, as in the case where screening is desired. In addition, street planters may be provided according to the following guidelines:

• Street planters are defined as a container, portable or permanently fixed, used for the purpose of holding plant materials. The planters are to be located along major streets where sidewalks are greater than 8 feet wide. The base of the container should not exceed nine square feet. Planters provided by private land owners, should be located within the property boundary lines.
• Trees, shrubs, and ground cover plant material in planters are required within private open space areas along street frontages. The ratio of planted areas to paved areas should be no less than 25 percent of the area between the sidewalk and the building. If there is any change in elevation from the sidewalk to the private open space area, it should be no greater than 4 feet. Storage areas, and work areas provided at ground level facing or open to the street, must be screened, with plant material or some architectural feature such as fencing that provides limited visual access.

The purpose of street furniture is to provide customers and pedestrian amenities along the public rights-of-way. Street furniture prototypes were identified and analyzed by the Authority in Phase III. Among the street furniture that would be included are as follows:

Whenever possible, the benches, bus shelters, and trash receptacles should be located together. The kiosks should be located near the bus shelters so that both may be used while people are waiting for buses.

Signs and graphics provide information and are sometimes necessary for regulatory purposes. Informational signs are used for the identification of landmarks, buildings and establishments, and to provide directions. Regulatory signs are used for the purpose of controlling or directing some type of action such as traffic control signs. The use and design of these signs shall be reviewed and approved to ensure consistency and an attractive environment. Sign permits shall be processed by the City and County of Honolulu.

Lighting shall be available to provide for the safe movement of vehicular traffic and pedestrian movement along the roadways and pedestrianways. Lighting shall also be required to provide illumination for safe ingress and egress from all establishments.

Street lights shall be provided on all streets as proposed in the utility section. Area lights shall also be provided at grade within planting areas as appropriate.

Ingress and egress guidelines provide for safe pedestrian and vehicular movement. Parcel location, size, and activity will necessarily govern actual design and as such will be an item of review by the Authority.

SIDEWALKS - Sidewalks or other features which provide for the entry and exit of pedestrians from an establishment shall be regulated to provide unencumbered access. Ingress points to an establishment shall accommodate the handicapped, according to the City and County Building Code.

DRIVEWAYS - Driveways for the entry and exit of vehicles should provide for safe movement of vehicles with limited conflicts with pedestrians. Exit points shall be left unobstructed at the property line. To the extent possible, entry and exits shall be situated more than 75 feet from an intersection.

Besides the foregoing regulations and guidelines, there are aesthetic considerations, the results of which can contribute to or detract from the urban design of Mauka Area. Such considerations may range from addressing the architectural design of a large-scale Planned Development project to detailed design elements such as the exterior surface texture of a single building. Also considered may be the heights of platforms and decks so that platforms of approximately equal height might be linked to one another. In all cases, the concern is with the aesthetics of the project relative to its immediate surroundings, as well as its relationship to the community.

While it is desirable to have some degree of control over aesthetic and design considerations, it is certainly undesirable to establish rigid parameters which would stifle creativity of design in the Mauka Area. Therefore, the Authority will consider matters of aesthetics and design in its process of design review of development projects proposed in the Mauka Area. These considerations shall be made in accordance with guidelines in the rules.