The architecture of Charles W. Dickey

Any serious observer of Hawaii's architecture will be struck by the frequent recurrence of one name: Charles Dickey. This prolific and multifaceted architect enjoyed a remarkably successful career. From the intimate tropical bungalows he designed in Waikiki to the large-scale commercial projects and schools that dominated his California years, Dickey's work exhibits both eclecticism and diversity. For many years the preeminent figure in Hawaii architecture, he is often identified with the development of a uniquely "Hawaiian style.". The first individual raised in Hawaii to receive a classic architectural education in the U.S., Dickey joined the Honolulu firm of Clinton B. Ripley in 1896. In the years that followed, the Ripley-Dickey partnership played an enormous role in transforming both the burgeoning business district and the residential neighborhoods of the city. Working in a wide variety of architectural styles, the young Dickey reflected both his own historicist training and the diverse demands of his corporate clients in turn-of-the-century Honolulu. He also began to explore the vernacular traditions of Hawaiian architecture, traditions that would form the basis for his late