American Savings Bank Unveils ASB Campus, Setting a New Standard in Innovative Workplace Design

The 11-story, 373,000-square-foot Campus features a teammate amenities floor, high-tech work areas and a full-service bank branch

HONOLULU, April 9, 2019 – American Savings Bank (ASB) has unveiled its brand new ASB Campus – the first new office building in downtown Honolulu in nearly 25 years. The 11-story, 373,000-square-foot Campus is located at 300 N. Beretania Street, directly across from ‘A‘ala Park. In true ASB style, the bank celebrated the official grand opening of the building with an epic, festive party for all of its 1,100 teammates on Sunday, April 7, 2019.

The Campus, which features a teammate-focused workspace design, brings together over 650 teammates from five separate locations on O‘ahu and serves as a home base for the bank’s 1,100+ teammates across the state.

“We couldn’t be more excited and proud to open the doors of our ASB Campus to our teammates and the community,” said Rich Wacker, president and CEO of ASB. “Now that our entire team is together under one roof, we look forward to working more efficiently, collaboratively and innovatively than ever before, furthering our vision of being a great bank making people’s dreams possible.”

The grand opening celebration included the presentation of a custom chant written for ASB by Kumu Hula Nalani Kanaka‘ole, a traditional Hawaiian blessing and maile lei untying guided by Kahu Kordell Kekoa and Chinese lion dance. Teammates also enjoyed live entertainment and food and drink from nearby Chinatown merchants and ASB business customers.  

“Much like the central staircase that connects American Savings Bank teammates to one another in this magnificent new building, the decision to place a $100 million headquarters across the street from ‘A‘ala Park shows ASB is a company committed to connecting with the community it serves, said Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell. “I want to thank the entire ASB ‘ohana for making this meaningful investment that will continue to pay dividends for decades to come.”

A Modern Space for a Modern Workforce

Designed to promote a culture of openness and efficiency, the new ASB Campus puts workplace collaboration at the forefront. By breaking down former silos and physical barriers between teams and implementing a design more conducive to partnership, the new Campus serves as one of the most modern and dynamic worksites in the state and will enable the ASB team to make banking easier for customers.

The building team included national architect Leo A. Daly; local architect hiarchy, llp; and general contractor Nordic PCL. The Campus’ pre-cast design allows for open-floor layouts on each office floor, with meeting rooms and an elevator lobby at the core of the building. Sustainable features include EV charging stations, photovoltaic panels, reclaimed wood furniture, water dispensers, energy-efficient appliances and a “green benefit” that encourages teammates to carpool, walk, bike or take public transportation to work. It is also the first office building in the state to use View Dynamic Glass, a digitally connected glass that intelligently tints to control glare and heat to create a more comfortable environment.

Developed with the ASB teammate in mind, the Campus features a wide variety of amenities, including a training center, 4,500-square-foot teammate lunchroom, complimentary self-serve Starbucks coffee hui on each office floor, relaxation rooms, arcade, employee fitness center, and 10,000 square feet of outdoor lanai space. Wi-Fi is accessible throughout the building, allowing teammates to work from their desks, at collaborative workspaces and even on one of the two outdoor lanai.

A Partnership in Artful Banking

In commemoration of the Campus, ASB partnered with acclaimed Native Hawaiian designers Manaola Yap and Sig Zane to produce custom art pieces that tell the story of ASB and honor the history and culture of the land.

The ASB/Manaola partnership represents the first corporate undertaking for MANAOLA Group, an ASB customer. Yap incorporated his signature use of ‘ohe kāpala (bamboo stamp), an ancestral Hawaiian stamping method that draws inspiration from repetitious patterns found in nature, to create a custom pattern for the bank.  The pattern was digitized into bold prints that are incorporated into art throughout the Campus, including wall wraps on the 1^st and 10^th floors, as well as in ASB’s refreshed branding – from marketing collateral to the new ATM design.

Sig Zane Designs worked closely with ASB teammates to develop a set of art elements that combine several Native Hawaiian art techniques such as ʻohe kāpala, kinolau (the drawing of natural elements) and watermark. Through a collaboration with ASB teammates, Sig Zane’s design team incorporated the overarching themes of growth, abundance and unity into the custom artwork displayed throughout the building.

ASB worked with several additional local artists and designers to bring the building to life, including Noel Magtanong of Island Reclaimed Wood, Solomon Enos, BLKCORAL, Welcome Stranger and Lauren Trangmar. In addition, the first floor is home to The Lo‘i Gallery - a rotating gallery of local artists. Current artists on display include Ka‘ili Chun, John De Mello, Abigail Romanchak and Noe Tanigawa.

An Investment in the Community

For years, ASB has committed to being a good neighbor in the community through its bi-annual Seeds of Service Community Cleanups. Since 2015, ASB teammates have contributed more than 8,000 volunteer hours to beautify the area around its Campus, including ʻAʻala Park, College Walk, and Sun Yat-sen Mall. ASB’s ninth cleanup event is scheduled for mid-May, and will incorporate the support of area legislators and fellow community organizations.

In addition, to commemorate its grand opening, ASB announced an annual commitment of $15,000 to the Lawakua Charitable Fund, which will provide a full-year tuition scholarship to a student from Mayor Wright Housing to attend private school on O‘ahu. Over its 30-year history, Lawakua has guided hundreds of disadvantaged youth to a more hopeful future. The program uses martial arts to teach youth confidence, coordination, structure, and discipline, with a focus on children who live in O‘ahu public housing.

Opening Events

The community is invited to celebrate the new ASB Campus at two upcoming events, free and open to the public:

• ASB Campus Branch Grand Opening, Thursday April 18 at 8:45 a.m.: ASB will host a grand opening celebration of its Campus Branch, located on the ground level of the building. Festivities will include a traditional Hawaiian blessing, prize giveaways and light refreshments.
• ASB Campus Community Open House, Sunday, May 5 from 1-4 p.m.: The public is invited to free building tours, which will spotlight artwork throughout the building, panoramic views and other amenities. Attendees will also have an opportunity to visit The Lo‘i Gallery, featuring artwork by Ka‘ili Chun, John De Mello, Abigail Romanchak and Noe Tanigawa.   

About American Savings Bank

American Savings Bank (ASB) has been serving Hawai‘i’s businesses and communities since 1925 and currently provides a full range of financial products and services, including business and consumer banking, home loans, insurance and investments. ASB is one of Hawai‘i’s leading financial institutions, with e-banking services and branch locations throughout the state offering evening, weekend and holiday hours. ASB provides Hawai‘i’s consumers and businesses with more extended weekday and weekend hours than other similarly sized local banks, as well as convenient in-store branches. ASB was the first Hawaii bank to introduce remote-deposit capture with a mobile banking application.

ASB matches its exceptional customer experience with an employee experience that has garnered local and national awards. ASB has been recognized nationally as one of the “Best Banks to Work For” by American Banker Magazine and locally as one of the “Best Places to Work” by Hawai‘i Business Magazine for ten consecutive years and honored nationally as one of the “Best Banks to Work For” by American Banker Magazine. Fortune Magazine has recognized ASB as one of the 100 Best Workplaces for Women and 50 Best Workplaces for Diversity. For more than 90 years, ASB has been helping build strong communities. Through its Seeds of Service program, ASB teammates have contributed nearly 48,000 hours of volunteer service, and ASB has donated millions of dollars to Hawai‘i’s nonprofits and community organizations. For more information, visit https://www.asbhawaii.com/ or follow American Savings Bank on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.