Housing +
Critics: Brigitte Shim & Andrei Harwell
Semester: Spring 2019
As a developing city with large ambitions, Honolulu’s growth is generated largely by tourism, and industries like agriculture or fishing. Funded by the ecosystems that make Honolulu special, recent development is normalizing and disconnecting the public realm from nature. The incredible vitality of these ecosystems and their undeniable presence have laid the foundation for Hawaiian identity, and culture. A distinct relationship with water rooted in spirituality, agriculture, and recreation is in jeopardy.
This proposal explores making the culturally significant ecosystems of Hawaii accessible to downtown Honolulu by harnessing natural resources, and converting them into regenerative public amenities. Where recent development has used landscaping, programmatic organization, and massing to retreat and repel, my project uses the same tools to invite, unite, connect, and educate.
