La Ronde (restaurant)

La Ronde (atop the Ala Moana Office Building)
La Ronde (atop in center of image)

La Ronde was a famous restaurant[1] in Honolulu[2] Hawaii. Built in 1961[3][4] and designed by John Graham[5] it was the first revolving restaurant in the United States[6] (preceding the "Eye of the Needle" restaurant in Seattle) and the third[7][8] of its kind (after[9][10] the Florian Tower and the Cairo Tower) in the world. The restaurant is now closed.

The Building

The restaurant is situated at 1441[2] Kapi'olani Boulevard[5] in the Ala Moana district at the 23. floor[6][1] of the Ala Moana Building[3] adjacent to the shopping mall Ala Moana Complex.

The restaurant's revolving part has a diameter of about 16 feet (5 meters)[5] with a seating capacity for 162 guests, the office building has a total height of 25 floors and 298 feet (91 meters)[2] including an observation deck at the top.[5] The rotational speed was 1 rotation[4] per hour.

History

The building was designed by John Graham jr[3] of the architectural firm John Graham & Company. The building was completed in 1960[3] and inaugurated 21 November[6][1] 1961.[4] At that time, it was the highest building[4] in Honolulu.

Graham later received a patent for the revolving design in 1964 (US patent-nr 3125189[11]).

Later, the restaurant changed the name to "Windows of Hawaii"[5] but closed completely[4] in the mid-1990s.[5] The premises were converted to office space[1] and the floor was welded into place.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Going ’round Waikiki, 2006 Star Bulletin (accessdate 31 July 2016)
  2. 1 2 3 Ala Moana Center Emporis (accessdate 31 July 2016)
  3. 1 2 3 4 Towering Ties Briale Morand (accessdate 31 July 2016)
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Ala Moana Building Ala Moana Center (accessdate 31 July 2016)
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ala Moana Center, Architectural History Report page 37-39 Mason Architects (accessdate 31 July 2016)
  6. 1 2 3 Some Construction and Housing Firsts in Hawaii, 72nd Annual Report, 1963, page 108 (11) Hawaiian Historical Society (accessdate 31 July 2016)
  7. ↑ A Brief History of Buildings That Spin Anthony Paletta, Gizmodo (accessdate 31 July 2016)
  8. ↑ A Moveable Feast: A Brief History of the Revolving Restaurant J S Graboyes, Duckpie (accessdate 31 July 2016)
  9. ↑ Revolving Restaurants in the Americas Phil Dotree, Interesting America (accessdate 31 July 2016)
  10. ↑ Pie in the skies – revolving restaurants Jan Whitaker, Restaurant-ing through History (accessdate 31 July 2016)
  11. ↑ patent Graham 1964 Google patents (accessdate 31 July 2016)
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