First Hawaiian Center features the 24,000 square feet (2,200 m2) of open plaza, park space and waterways in the middle of downtown Honolulu's financial district cityscape of towering commercial buildings and congested streets.

It is within walking distance of the Aliʻiōlani Hale, Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace, Hawaiʻi State Capitol and ʻIolani Palace.

Metaphoric designs were used in reference to natural phenomena found in Hawaiʻi.

[citation needed] Two distinct architectural forms resulted in the compromise, one for the makai side facing the ocean and one for the mauka side facing the mountains.

A great deal of effort was made to incorporate as much natural light as possible into the building interiors.