Four Seasons Resort O’ahu at Ko Olina

O’ahu, Hawai’i

Concept

Four Seasons Resort O'ahu at Ko Olina begins a new passage in the story of the former JW Marriott Ihilani, designed by modernist architect Edward Killingsworth in 1993.

Honoring the spirit of the original structure, its imposing, brutalist forms are softened through tropical hardwood finishings and the introduction of a more intimate experience at human scale.

Newly introduced dining terraces, pools, and a chapel usher the resort's defining architecture into a new era.

Concept

Four Seasons Resort O'ahu at Ko Olina begins a new passage in the story of the former JW Marriott Ihilani, designed by modernist architect Edward Killingsworth in 1993.

Honoring the spirit of the original structure, its imposing, brutalist forms are softened through tropical hardwood finishings and the introduction of a more intimate experience at human scale.

Newly introduced dining terraces, pools, and a chapel usher the resort's defining architecture into a new era.

Nestled in the embrace of the Waiʻanae mountains on O'ahu’s leeward coast, the resort holds its storied past in considered balance with modern ideals of luxury. Arriving at the porte cochère, one sees carved wood Polynesian ki'i sculptures crafted by a local artist. The entrance continues into the lofty atrium lobby, where a large traditional check-in desk has been replaced with softly shaped teak wood concierge pods that contrast with the existing building’s hard-edged modernity. In the light-filled, open space, the broad horizon of the Pacific is immediately within view.

Varied experiences unfold in the outdoor terraces that follow the land's natural downslope. The glassy surface of a newly designed infinity pool mirrors the ocean visible just beyond it, while a serene garden surrounding a muliwai, or estuary, offers lush scenery. The waterway continues toward another new addition — a coral stone masonry chapel echoing those built by missionaries across Hawai'i in the early 20th century. Always mindful of what came before, the resort masterfully incorporates the site's architectural legacy and natural environment into a singular vision fine-tuned for living well.