Varney Circle
We need your input!
Varney Circle
Whiteboard
Make it a pedestrian mall with shady places to sit, block all motorized traffic, add a corridor for bicycles and skateboards.
Use paint for a customizable and vibrant pedestrian open space.
Grow edible/culturally significant native/endemic plants; allow students living in dorm to “adopt” little plots to garden on their own.
Add cover or shade to waking paths.
“The strip of sidewalk along campus road and Varney Circle (near the WRC) is very exposed. It could use a structure to provide shade from the sun/protection from the rain. There is no rain shelter between QLC and Camps Center. It would be nice if it housed some casual study space as well (like that in Campus Center near Subway) The path is also quite crowded at certain hours and frequented by both pedestrians and cyclists/ skateboarder, so it could benefit from being widened.”
Create an overhead walkway.
“It would look something like the picture attached where it would connect the all the buildings around to make traveling in between classes safe for students, faculty, and staff. There would be a opening in the middle so students can see the fountain up close. I have also drawn in tables and chairs for students to come and relax around the fountain and talk story.”
Create a social/gathering hub.
“Instead of fixing the fountain I would suggest turning the center circle into a covered area with seating/tables that could be used for study sessions/tours. The issue with making Varney Circle into a non-parking/pedestrian walking area is that parking is already so limited on campus. Unless another parking structure is built (like say behind Kennedy Theatre?) then taking away parking areas is not something that should be done. But making the circle (with pedestrian crossings to it) into something that could be utilized by more people would be something to consider.”
Convert/expand fountain into native wetland garden to preserve this historic feature while creating a learning tool and conserving water.
“Could also include plants of cultural/ horticultural significance i.e. Kalo”
Make Varney Circle a food truck garden.
Varney Circle should symbolize UH as the crossroads of the Pacific.
“Since UH Mānoa is the flagship campus of the UH system and Hawaii being located at the intersection of the Pacific, it should represent the the meeting and gathering place of cultures and knowledge. Honor the history of the fountain by restoring it AND ensure that it’s water will also serve as irrigation to native Hawaiian plants around it. Fountain and native plants symbolically represent the islands where people meet. Put benches for people to sit. Create wayfinding signs and improve connectivity to different buildings. Splash some colorful paint on the walkways. Widen sidewalks for pedestrians and bicycles, and only allow emergency, UH shuttles, and handicap vehicles to park in limited areas here.”
This space needs shade.
“Add shade trees around the parameter of Varney Circle, then add more seating for resting. Fix the existing sidewalk and add more visibility to crosswalks.”
Improve and Increase parking capacity.
“Remove the central area (except for the area immediately around the fountain) to provide increased area for parking and vehicles. UH does not need more pedestrian zones. The primary concern of students is the ability to commute to and across campus easily and efficiently. The continuing efforts to remove parking space have caused significant difficulties for students. Increasing the parking capacity at Varney Circle will help alleviate this problem and improve the transport situation for students.”
Replace fountain and parking with loʻi.
Keep it as is and restore the fountain.
“With all the other issues facing this campus, why are we discussing this issue at this time? Lack of instructional space and failing buildings come to mind. This project would be the last on my list.”
Varney Circle + Miller Hall = Love
“Fix up Varney Circle and spruce up adjacent Miller Hall. Miller Hall is a beautiful old building that just needs a bit of lipstick. Remove its rusty ACs and add fresh paint, UH flags, and small balconies to make this the UH center point. Sprinkle the area with shaded outdoor seating. Also remove confusing railings.”
Design a Japanese garden with two benches and a large water element at the center with a walkway around the water element. A bamboo trellis could provide shade for benches.
Create performance and speaker space.
“The fountain (dedicated to Varney) could host a gazebo—a space for speakers/lectures and performers (or study/eating when not in use). Work with music and performing arts to get input on “optimal/useable” sized performance area (A quartet might not need much room, but what’re the next sizes up? Is “theater in the round” possible at certain sizes?). When the road is converted to a mall, it can be grassed/ground-covered over for outdoor seating around the gazebo.”
Plant native plants and honor Hawaiian history.
“What are all of things we can commemorate besides or in addition to Varney? Can we also point to that history?”
Females: honor one of your own! Susan Varney taught here; one of the architects was female. Maintain the grounds, and restore the fountain.
Retain parking, especially handicap and guest parking, as the campus currently does not have enough.
“Save ADA access & parking, Fix or replace while maintaining the footprint.”
Create a gazebo a study area instead of fountain and grass.
“Instead of fixing the fountain I would suggest turning the center circle into a covered area with seating/tables that could be used for study sessions/tours. The issue with making Varney Circle into a non-parking/pedestrian walking area is that parking is already so limited on campus. Unless another parking structure is built (like say behind Kennedy Theatre?) then taking away parking areas is not something that should be done. But making the circle (with pedestrian crossings to it) into something that could be utilized by more people would be something to consider.”
I want to see a Pacific Islander monument.
“Point blank the campus doesn’t have enough intentional Pasifika architecture/monuments. The tiki motif on the fountain we’re created by haole folks. Tiki/ki’i or other names in the Pacific, embody the spirit of Gods and Demi gods. What are the ones on the fountain? Who do they represent? If the university prides itself as being a “”Hawaiian Place of Learning””, let’s see a monument that represents that we are in a Pacific island with creative, scholarly, and resilient Pacific communities, while also honoring the Hawaiian pioneers and land that we are learning on. Hire Pacific designers/carvers/tapa/kapa makers/historians/healers/students of Native Hawaiian Student Services/students of Micronesia Connections/students of Pan Pacific Association/students of Fealofani o Samoa/ to bring this to fruition. Just because our student body is diverse doesn’t mean that we cant give reverance and acknowledgement to the Pacific past, present and future. After all, we’re in Hawaiʻi.”
Install signs that point toward campus landmarks/bldgs (not cities). Add small benches to take a short break but not to gather for a long time.
Why not a simple piko (navel)?
“Restore the fountain to its original, working condition. Repaint the two inner pools to be the same original blue color. Then simply have green grass in the outer circle. A simple, Zen-like navel. Make a bicycle lane and prohibit motorcycles, cars, and trucks. Place some benches with shade in areas outside of the circle and road, like the lawn of a building.”
Use the money for something else.
“With COVID-19 cutting budgets across the system, we need to use the Varney Circle reconstruction money towards student needs. We do not need a new fountain. We do not need more sidewalks or walkways. Do we even have enough money to pay the staff in order to complete this project? What about the other facilities on campus that are in need of updates and reconstruction? I would highly advise the administration to look over their budget and allocate the money towards student services that are going to HELP the students: fixing existing buildings, attend to the back log of facility requests, etc. Do that first before starting a new project that will cost a pretty penny. Letʻs open our eyes and see that the money going towards this project needs to be put elsewhere. Preferably, towards helping our students get back on campus after a global pandemic.”
Turn the fountain into a bog garden if not repairing the fountain.
Turn parking into EV charging area; allow for dual handicap/EV parking. There are no handicap accessible charging spots on UH Mānoa campus.
Create a fountain of light.
“Computer-programmed LED with random, non-repeating patterns (a biomimetic interpretation of water never assuming the same exact form twice).”
Either fix the fountain and make that fountain working again, or get that Warriors Statue from the ROTC at the Lower Campus & place it there.
“Proposal 1: Make the fountain flowing with water again.
Proposal 2: Get that Warriors Statue from the Lower Campus ROTC area & place it at Varney Circle. That Warriors Statue at Lower Campus ROTC area does represent our school mascot of The Rainbow Warriors. Make a tall nice looking pedestal & then place that Warriors Statue on top of that pedestal. For the pedestal, make sure to include the ROTC in there to give them credit, since after all it is their statue.
Proposal 3: Create a different Warriors statue.
UH Mānoa should have a symbol & what good symbol would be none other than a statue of UH Mānoa’s mascot: The Rainbow Warrior. Make that Warrior Statue iconic almost like that Tommy Trojan Statue from the USC campus.”
Justify the repair of the fountain with hydroponics.
“Cultivate native flora and fauna by converting the purely decorative fountain into a functional large-scale hydroponics set up.”
The absence of flowing water at Varney Circle symbolizes that the University doesn’t work. Let the fountain flow!!!
“With the fountain flowing, as fountains ought!, it will symbolize the flow of campus activity (classes, research, student development, etc.). It would represent an active continuation to the present and future of the initial activity in Mānoa, taro farming with Mānoa water.”
Maintain student representation and services.
“Flags for solidarity in veterans, visibility for trans lives, support domestic abuse survivors etc has been seen around VC. It’s a good place to show representation and equity policies upheld by campus, being a popular photo-op for advertising. Maintaining that aspect of respect and visibility would be an important aspect to keep in its redesign.”
Remove the curb drops to deemphasize traffic and make the pedestrian experience easier.
There is no reason for merely cosmetic improvements to fixtures on campus.
“Restoring the functionality of the fountain in Varney Circle is a waste of water and not a sustainable change, unless the fountain can be adapted into a source of water for cultivating indigenous plants in this area as others have suggested. The parking offered by this area is invaluable to handicapped students/faculty/staff due to its central location on campus. Pedestrian safety can be improved by simply fixing the uneven and cracked pavement in the areas surrounding Varney Circle.”
Restore fountain, make appealing to hang out. Make less dangerous for pedestrians. Possible food hub?
“Restore the fountain and the grounds. Make it less dangerous to get to (pedestrian safety) and appealing to spend time in. Perhaps make it a food area hub during lunch, very good spot since many pass by.”
Statue (or fountain) displaying a woman of color or a food truck park and speaker space.
“A statue of a woman of color (so tired of the male presence everywhere on campus). Shaded area for demonstrations and gatherings, but artistic and non-stuffy. There is very little color or originality on campus. Let’s get art students involved. Perhaps a small food truck park with shaded seating and differing food/coffee options, but also with an artistic flair.”
Campus—new colors, new social spaces
“Move the fountain to lawn between Hawaii/Dean/Crawford Halls. Close off Varsity Circle “road” south and east side. Fill road to connect and open up McCarthy Mall and area around Miller Hall. Combine ideas of others: paint open space”
Increase walking space and shade; give the rest to students.
“All it needs is a wider sidewalk and shade to hide from the sun and rain. Do minimal and allocate the money to something that students really need like their jobs”
‘Olelo Hawai‘i.
All spaces and buildings on campus should be in Hawaiian language; based on Hawaiian values.”
Shade parking.
Add a shade structure over parking that can support solar panels. “
Keep the fountain where it is. Fix it. It is an iconic image on a campus filled with buildings. Old and new generations know where the fountain is.
“Create a wide shade pergola with the top center open surrounding the working water fountain. Tables and chairs for a peaceful informal meeting place. Surround the circle with low shrub or fencing with just a few opening to the pathways to the neighboring buildings. Create walking paths from the surrounding buildings to represent diversity or pathways embedded with Hawaiian values, inspirational words or images. All paths lead to the fountain as the point of unity. Water is such an important aspect of life and life in Hawai’i. Incorporate the water fountain with Native Hawaiian plants. Keep the parking and the road but make better use of the road space. Create a bike, skateboarding, etc. path on the building sides with a wider circle.”
Create a meeting point/sitting area to symbolize the heart of campus.
“Add shade from trees and sitting areas and make it more pedestrian connected instead of an island. Good meeting place but needs to be less isolated and protected from sun. Either restore fountain or place a new relevant structure.”
Turn Varney Circle into Stonehenge.
“I believe Oahu needs a Stonehenge and the best place to put it would be UH. As long as it is astronomically correct.”
