In Hawai‘i, mauka refers to the inland towards the mountains while makai means seaward, towards the ocean. More than simple navigational terms, these concepts represent the relationship of land and sea. Mauka and makai reflect the delicate balance between creating community while preserving storied places and natural resources.

“What does it feel like to be at the intersection of sand, sea, and sky? To walk across a beach and feel waves lapping at your ankles, the sun on your face and the breeze in your hair?” asks David Oldroyd, principal of the interior design firm ODADA. “Maybe it’s strange to say that we tried to channel this feeling with [the] Launiu, but that’s exactly what happened.”

Actually, it doesn’t sound strange at all. The Launiu Ward Village, a 40-story tower that will soon stand at Ward Avenue between Ala Moana Boulevard and Auahi Street, was designed deliberately to blur the line between structure and space.

With one side angled towards Diamond Head and the other side towards downtown Honolulu and the setting sun, architect Bernardo Fort-Brescia, founding principal at Arquitectonica, envisioned The Launiu as a slender prism that was contemporary yet organic. Sleek glass edges are softened by curving terrace balconies that mimic rolling hills or gentle waves.

“We like interpretative architecture,” Fort-Brescia says. “We don’t mind if someone looks up and thinks it looks like the wind is blowing or there are ripples across the ocean. That sense of discovery and playful romance is important.”

The Launiu’s balconies are strategically placed to allow guests to feel as if they’re at the edge of a wave: standing over water and surrounded by air. Inside, Oldroyd’s use of natural materials—teak and mahogany hardwoods, coral and lava stone, woven raffia, quartz, and sandstone—imbue a sense of warmth, while low tables and couches maximize the view.

Instead of dividing up rooms to define function (by separating the kitchen from the living room, for instance), functional differences are suggested through the thoughtful placement of a chair or tall plant. “The arm of a sofa can imply a wall without necessarily needing to build one,” says Oldroyd. “People experience interiors in different ways. Our goal is to create a space that’s as pleasing and intimate for one or two people as it is for eight people at a gathering.”

If the spirit of The Launiu is to let the outside in, there’s nowhere better to experience this connection to nature than the tower’s 7th floor recreation deck. Where, in addition to modern amenities, such as a fitness pool, movement studio, and play structure for kids, landscape architect Don Vita, principal at VITA Planning & Landscape Architecture, has constructed a veritable Garden of Babylon overlooking Kewalo Harbor.

“Transitioning from ocean to land in Hawai‘i means going from waves on the beach to the jungle,” Vita says. “So we have pools surrounded by sand-colored paving stone, all under palm trees with views of Diamond Head. As you progress further, you experience a garden environment with dense shade and flowering plants.”

Exit the elevators, pass through the breezeway, and step outside into a miniature tropical forest filled with a striking array of colorful flora, from pink rainbow shower trees to sweet-smelling Singapore plumeria to bright yellow Kula gardenia. Plus native plants, including white and “Hula Girl” hibiscus, ‘uki‘uki plants, purple and white pōhuehue flowers, hala trees, and more.

In Hawaiian, “launiu” means coconut leaf. Here, you’ll find the building’s namesake tree lining the outdoor walkways on the 7th floor along with a mix of Areca, Thurston, and Joannis palm trees that help form a partial canopy over the rooftop corridors.

“Our aim was to create a rich landscape with big palms, dense foliage, colorful plantings and organic fragrance,” says Vita. “At the same time, we wanted this area to feel approachable. Guests should feel like they’re on the beach or the backyard—even though it’s seven stories up.”

“[The] Launiu elevates you to a magic space above the city,” Fort-Brescia says. “From the seventh floor garden and beyond, to a home that keeps you connected with everything: the sky, the mountains, the water, and Honolulu itself.”