University of Hawaii, West O'ahu Academy for Creative Media

The Academy for Creative Media is a nexus for filmmaking and computational media in Hawaii. Located on the West O’ahu campus of the University of Hawaii, the sophisticated creative media center features media labs, classrooms, experimental content creation space, a 3,000-square-foot sound stage, postproduction editing suites, and a 100-seat Dolby-Atmos screening theater. A cafe, a business incubator, and a variety of indoor and outdoor student collaboration spaces round out the program.

The design of the creative media building fosters a 24-hour, student-centered, creative atmosphere — three wings converge in a multi-purpose lobby space that can host events, support production, or simply offer a relaxing space to lounge. The architectural design builds on the pre-established campus aesthetic of standing seam metal roofs and concrete masonry by laying out a restrained yet bold roofline that extends and folds over the main body of the building, marking an important campus edge condition. A large LED screen in the lobby and another large exterior LED screen outdoors extend the critical culture of film screening, inviting the broader campus and community audience to interact in the creative media space, both day and night.