Hawaii: The Latest Architecture and News

American architect and tireless advocate for gender equality Beverly Willis passed away on October 1, 2023, at the age of 95, as reported by The New York Times. Throughout her career, she was dedicated to breaking down barriers for women in a traditionally male-dominated profession. She ran an accomplished studio in San Francisco, having completed over 800 projects across the US, and established a Foundation for recognizing and promoting women in architecture. Across various programs and scales, her designs have gained national recognition for their humanistic concern for the occupant and for adapting historic buildings to modern purposes, a practice now known as adaptive reuse.

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The Second Studio (formerly The Midnight Charette) is an explicit podcast about design, architecture, and the everyday. Hosted by Architects David Lee and Marina Bourderonnet, it features different creative professionals in unscripted conversations that allow for thoughtful takes and personal discussions.

A variety of subjects are covered with honesty and humor: some episodes are interviews, while others are tips for fellow designers, reviews of buildings and other projects, or casual explorations of everyday life and design. The Second Studio is also available on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube.

This week David and Marina are joined by Architect Greg Warner, Principal and Founder of Walker Warner Architects to discuss growing up in Hawaii and its influence on his professional career; co-founding his office and its growth; working in Hawaii; the responsibilities of a principal and the importance of leadership; his philosophy and approach to projects; and more.

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This week’s curated selection of Best Unbuilt Architecture highlights private residential projects submitted by the ArchDaily community. From futuristic private retreats on the coast of Hawaii to a mini-housing concept on the rocky cliffs of Montenegro, this article explores residential architecture and presents projects submitted to us from all over the world.

Featuring a secluded private residence that sits between a Persian mountain and river, an interior renovation of an 80's Mediterranean house, and a minimalist forest retreat, this round-up explores the diversity of private homes and how each design responds to its site's topography, context, and to the occupants spatial needs. The selection also includes villas in Lebanon, Iran, Tanzania, Netherlands, Ivory Coast, Kosovo, and Vietnam.

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Hawaii has become a place that defines paradise. From pristine beaches and a warm climate to natural scenery and active volcanoes, the islands are home to incredible landscapes and culture. With indigenous and modern building styles, the state’s architecture is intimately tied to the environment. Reinterpreting historic building techniques and traditions, contemporary Hawaiian architecture balances a desire to honor the past while celebrating new experiences and modern culture. This has led to the formation of incredible spaces to live and dwell.

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Snøhetta, WCIT, and AECOM have released details of their proposed Neal S. Blaisdell Center Master Plan for Honolulu, Hawaii. Located in the urban heart of O’ahu, the existing 1964 center is home to the state’s premier arts and cultural venues. The aging structure is now set to be transformed by a 22-acre complex for future generations, featuring a performance hall, exhibition hall, sports pavilion, parking structure, and reconceived public space.

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Studio Gang has revealed a new design for a 41-story tower in Hawaii that's inspired by the island’s native red sugar cane. Designed with a mix of ground floor retail and 565 residences above, the tower is called Kō‘ula. Embracing indoor-outdoor living and Hawaii's climate, the project is oriented to ocean views with vertical columns that bend and twist like sugar cane. The tower is part of a larger development underway in the Ward Village district on Oahu’s south shore.

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With rapid advancements in technology and crystal clear imagery, drones have allowed us to experience our cities and landscapes from unimaginable vantage points and perspectives. In its series of videos, YouTube channel Mingomatic uses drones to capture the sights and scenes of predominantly American cities and various locations from above, offering glimpses of skylines, oceans, highways and terrains (and seals!). Check out the 10 videos below for some spectacular views, and find Mingomatic’s full selection, here.

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Tesla has completed a massive, 55,000-panel solar farm on the Hawaiian island of Kauai that will allow them to experiment with medium-term energy storage at a utility scale. Hooked up to the farm are 272 of the company’s lithium Powerpacks, which are capable of storing of combined 52 megawatt-hours of power.

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Of the four locations that are under consideration to host the future Barack Obama presidential library, two have released visions of what could be if their sites were selected - the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and the University of Hawaii at Honolulu (UH). UH, who’s offering a stunning oceanside site on Waikiki Beach, paired Snøhetta, MOS, and Allied Works Architecture with local architects to draw up proposals, all of which share a deep connection to nature. UIC, on the other hand, has proposed an idea that reinterprets the library as a systemized network of public infrastructure focused on revitalization.

View all four proposals, after the break.

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