What does it mean to live in Hawaii in the 21st century?
Ala Wai Apartments, Moi’ilili, HI - Polyline Architecture + Urbanism
Nohona Hale, Kakaako, HI - WCIT Architecture
D-Fin House, Captain Cook, HI - Craig Steely Architecture
On May 19, 2022, AIA Honolulu hosted their GMM Case Study Panel regarding Residential Architecture in Hawaii where Jonathan Lee, AIA, Craig Steely, AIA, & our Polyline Partner & Director of Sustainability, Jason DeMarco, AIA, LEEP AP BD+C, NCARB took part in a discussion about the reality of modern-day housing in Hawaii. Art & culture reporter, Noe Tanigawa led this discussion addressing, what it means to live in Hawaii in the 21st century.
Residential architecture contains a range of different typologies, styles, and scales making it very interesting to find the overlaps in each form. Although the three projects discussed are completely different from one another, they all express a statement to their importance of place, Hawaii. One of the most prominent commonalities between the three residential projects is striking a balance in client involvement and communication. Here at Polyline, Jason likes to joke that during the design process, we play the role of designer, marriage counselor, & family counselor to ensure everyone involved is on the same page and getting what it is they desire.
The Case Studies
The three projects discussed range from multi-family housing to single family homes. Jason DeMarco presented one of our Bill 7 (Ord 19-8) affordable apartments, Ala Wai Apartments. These apartments along the outskirts of Waikiki are comprised of 2-bedroom, 1-bedroom, and studio units. Similarly to our typology, Johnathan Lee of WCIT, presented the multi-family micro-unit structure, Nohona Hale. This structure offers smaller studio apartments meant more for a single person or a couple and is located within the booming town of Kakaako. Quite different from these dense apartment structures, Craig Steely Architecture had a similar design process for the single-family home, D-Fin House located in Captain Cook on Big Island. The beauty behind each of these projects is that they provide unique living situations suited for the various people that will inhabit them. As architects and designers, we have the privilege of finding out what each of our clients particular needs are. In regard to multi-family housing, we take a more general approach but still consider the important key moments that make or break the space for end users.
Climate Resiliency
Hawaii is known for its natural beauty and grace. Nature is a part of Hawaiian culture, beliefs, stories, & ideals. One of the well known and respected aspects of Nature’s beauty in Hawaiian culture is its ability to overrun human creation at any given time.
As a society, we can see that there is a shift occurring in our natural world that is directly effecting our way of life as we know it. Well put by AIA in their article Four ways architects can fight climate change, “Wildfires. Superstorms. Drought, floods, mass extinction, and disease. This isn’t a sci-fi apocalypse, it’s the nightly news.” Here in Hawaii, we are seeing sea level rise happen right before our eyes, taking out beach front property, flooding infrastructure regularly, causing coastal erosion, and much more. With this information, each profession needs to consider the ways we can lessen our negative impacts on the environment and instead, cultivate a healing response. As our climate, economy, and population change, it is apparent that architecture must undergo change as well.
Certain elements of residential architecture have adapted organically and others need a more hands-on approach. The three panelists were asked,
“How can climate resiliency be baked into the design?”
Common themes between each architect are as follows:
adhering to local permitting requirements
working with state agencies
letting apparent site features guide the design from the beginning
renewable energy systems
passive design features
low impact yet long lasting materials
Jonathan stated beautifully that sustainable strategies are intrinsic for us as designers, ensuring affordability, comfort, and safety for tenants. Climate resiliency is no longer an option for design, it is a requirement.
Ala Wai Apartment Climate Response
Our multifamily affordable Bill 7 structure, Ala Wai Apartment, falls within the floodplain meaning, our design must ensure resiliency for the safety of the owners, future tenants, and the surrounding community. As a response to this, our design calls for a raised ground level created by a retaining wall around the property. This strategy will raise the base of the building out of the flood plain and provide a sturdy foundation for the structure. In the case of a tsunami, our ground floor is made of rigid concrete which is durable against debris impact. To further tenant safety, the ground floor does not have any apartment units and is instead mainly dedicated to parking. The parking is then surrounded by permeable surfaces to allow for drainage from the site.
Additional passive design features can be found around the apartment building, providing comfortable and healthy lifestyle options for tenants. Solar shade fins running across the entirety of the façade create a distinct, innovative design language. This perforated metal screen system allows tenants to have direct views to the beauty that Hawaii has to offer with the additional benefit of provided shelter from harsh sun. The materiality of the shades allow for drainage in the event of rain and can withstand harsh sun conditions making it the perfect material for Hawaii. These solar shade fins lower the solar heat gain entering into units both through the windows directly and the walls more passively.
Solar fins are one of the more prominent elements that can be seen contributing to the overall health of the building but there are many players working behind the scenes. Proper insulation, ceiling fans, and operable windows reduce the amount of AC needed. By lowering the amount of AC used, we are not only encouraging tenants to breathe in fresh air more consistently, we are lowering their utility costs and reducing harmful emissions that are effecting our ozone. As architects, we understand that the call for climate response in the built environment is a rapidly growing element of our career. The environment needs to be at the forefront of our thoughts through every decision we make in the design process. We are here to build now for a brighter, more sustainable future.
Affordability
A study from the Pew Research Center shows that the middle class in the U.S. has been steadily decreasing for four decades. As the middle class has decreased, the lower and upper classes have almost doubled in size. This study speaks generally about America as a whole however, in Hawaii, the cost of living is significantly higher than most other states putting an even larger strain on our lower class population. Not to mention the inflation of home prices nationwide which have contributed to new generations being forced to rent for much longer periods of their lives than prior generations. All of these financial factors contribute heavily to the state of current architecture. Luxury single family homes become more likely to arise and simultaneously, we must find more affordable housing for those displaced by the economic disparity.
Affordable housing in the past has not always been the most desirable and today, we see the long term flaws in having people live in such close quarters without well thought out design. We see deteriorating buildings being rented for much more than is reasonable considering their overall quality and safety solely because of the human need for shelter. The fact of the matter is that everyone should feel safe in their home, whether that is safety from environmental impacts, safety within the community, safety of the structure, of the air quality, or of the water we use. These are all things that should be non-negotiables when speaking of homes for our ohanas.
As architects, we do not get to control the economic circumstances of our society however, we can look at this information and our history to find hope in providing more affordable, fostering housing solutions. This need has been widely acknowledged by lawmakers and the design community & we are working diligently to supply our nation with further affordable housing options through a revamp of housing design standards.
Honolulu Bill 7 Opportunities
In Hawaii specifically, we can see these new & improved housing standards being put into place through Bill 7, adopted as Ordinance 19-8. This bill allows properties zoned in residential areas to construct multi family apartments under a different set of parameters, allowing higher density, greater height, and optimized footprint. Not only does this provide more affordable units for renters, it aims to encourage local landowners to refresh their own property with the hope of giving back to their community while gaining income themselves. To further incentivize developers and landowners to invest in affordable, high quality, multi-family housing, Ordinance 19-8 offers exemptions and fee waivers.
As architects and designers, this legislation coming into fruition has brought us unique, complex projects that require vetted solutions. Polyline has been involved on multiple Bill 7 projects at this current moment and each of them have parameters that are one of a kind. One solution that stands strong between them is putting an emphasis on approaching construction with the end goals in mind. Well said by Polyline partner, Jason, “The more we as architects, can think about the underlying construction of the building, it helps keep those energy costs down & keeps the residents comfortable & life more affordable.” From early design stages through production and on to real time construction, architects are constantly sifting through ways to ensure health, safety, and welfare of clients, end users, surrounding community, and surrounding environments.
What speaks to you?
When discussing modern architecture in Hawaii, there is a very complex lens that we must look through. Historical Hawaiian architecture is unique to its geography, culture, and people. These elements still stand strong today meaning that modern architecture can be inspired by our past. Design should cultivate this antiquated, beautiful environment. Modern materials and building techniques should integrate time-old traditions and expand from them. Architecture must continue to be designed with the people of the land in mind.
The ‘Aina
Take a good long look at Hawaii. Wherever you may be on the islands, there is a tie to the natural world, a strong connection to the ‘aina around us. Preservation of this beautiful land is commonly involved in everyday life activities. Why wouldn’t it be embraced in the design of your home? During the GMM Panel, Craig Steely mentioned that the site response of a building is just as important as having a reasonable floor plan. As architecture in Hawaii progresses, expands, & rebuilds, it is imperative to be cognizant of the conditions of our natural environment & play into those strengths. A well designed space does not just consider the experience of one part, it recognizes each part of itself as an addition to the whole.
The Ohana
Modern materials can be a truly beautiful thing when they themselves have the best intentions for end users in mind. For both multi-family & single-family homes, designing something with decent quality materials can be quite a difficult task to accomplish & let’s be honest, we all deserve better than just “decent”. In this digital age, there is an endless plethora of building materials to choose from now which is great! However, finding something specific to budget, lead time, and health goals is something entirely different. Finding materials that accomplish the aesthetic qualities a project is looking for can be quite the process on its own. Then we look at the long term affects these materials may have on users due to their chemical makeup and that rules out a lot of the more affordable options. Shipping materials to Hawaii increases cost exponentially while adding on a longer lead time (if you can even get your product shipped here). These factors seem to be desolate but there are plenty of alternatives!
One alluring way to avoid hang ups is to source locally. This not only helps move projects along quicker, it supports our local economy & community. Another way to address the conflicts we face on the islands, is to be crafty and innovative. Think outside of the box! One final approach is to look back towards our predecessors. We don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time something arises & there are reasons why old practices have stayed around so long. Either way you approach it, we have the innate ability to find techniques specific to the remarkable place we are in!
The Spirit of Aloha
As time progresses, the needs of the world tend to transform rapidly, Hawaii included. These needs aren’t necessarily new, they may just be different, expanded, contracted, etc. These changes can be found in many aspects of life but within architecture specifically, we see the change in the scope of what it is clients need & want in their homes. Whether a project is from the ground up, a full remodel, or an upgrade, architecture approaches these developed needs with processes that have proven to be successful. The basics of space planning rely on human circulation, program of each room, and practical sizes & spacing for every element. These are all extremely important factors in crafting a residence however, a larger part of being a strong designer is being capable of change and catering to each clients’ unique needs. Of course we want to ensure the most efficient space however, we as architects and designers are responsible for understanding what each space feels like. These key moments are what these developed client needs are all about. Most homes have a kitchen, a living room, a bathroom, and a bedroom. That is understood and expected. What we feel in those spaces is what creates a productive, safe, comfortable environment that will contribute to the end user’s overall life quality that then contributes to society as a whole.
What does it mean to live in Hawaii in the 21st Century?
That answer is entirely up to the person you are talking to. If you ask an architect, we’d have to say, the meaning of living here is constantly changing, just as our environment is, just as our lifestyles are, just as the cost is. The consistent factors in it all is our connection to the aina, our ohana, and the spirit of aloha. As long as we keep the importance of place, community, and client relations at the forefront of our work, or work will continue to grow with our environment.
If you are interested in starting a multi-family or single-family project, please contact us! We would love to answer any questions you may have. We understand the initial steps towards any architectural project can be daunting. We are here to help guide you through it.
“A joy to be in & a pleasure to behold. That is what architects work is.” - Noe Tanigawa
