Introduction

Our spring 2022 University of Hawai‘i at Manoa School of Architecture graduate-level urban design studio investigated ideas for the near- and long-term re-introduction of nature-based blue-green infrastructure systems for climate and sea level rise adaptation into the fabric of the coastal primary urban center of Honolulu. Specifically, the class focused on a mauka to makai transect through Waikīkī, reaching from the northern bank of the Ala Wai Canal to the ocean—including the federal lands surrounding Fort DeRussy (below).

Six graduate student teams, comprised of Master of Landscape Architecture and Doctor of Architecture candidates, have developed forward-looking, speculative urban design frameworks and concepts for future mixed-use that embrace open-ended, indeterminant, and dynamic environmental conditions, such as coastal flooding, rather than preventing them—all while promoting ecologically performative and culturally-appropriate “soft” solutions and learning from traditional native Hawaiian biocultural land-water practices.

The conceptual, multidisciplinary student work developed in this design studio intends to stimulate discourse and contribute to a long-term vision for a resilient and adaptive Waikīkī that merges the seemingly conflicting goals of economic development, climate and sea level rise adaptation, ecological performance, social and environmental justice, and urban placemaking into mutually beneficial, sustainable relationships.

Limit of work: urban design studio project site

Ala Moana Blvd

Kalia Road Residential & commercialKalakaua Ave

Ala Wai Community Park Ala Wai Canal

Hale Koa Hotel Ainahau Triangle

Fort DeRussy Boardwalk & Beach Pacific Ocean Fort DeRussy Saratoga Rd

Course Catalog Description Urban design focused on Asia-Pacific cities investigating ecological, hydrological, social, cultural, political, and technological factors; study of historical precedents, block and/or open space typology, circulation, infrastructure, and context response. ARCH and LAND majors only. A-F only. Prerequisites: 733 and 742, or 761.

Course Format ARCH 743 meets twice a week in School of Architeture Room 312 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:30 until 6:00 pm. Individual or group critiques, pin ups, student presentations, and individual work time comprise the majority of design studio sessions. Occasional lectures, guest presentations, field trips, in-class exercises, discussions, and readings supplement these course activities. Review of student work occurs throughout the semester. Each main studio phase concludes in a presentation, with a clear emphasis on the mid-term review and final review.

Goals and Objectives This graduate-level urban design studio, through initial research, precedent studies, a sequence of analytical and mapping exercises, and conceptual, speculative design phases, explores urban scales, systems, and the role of landscape as infrastructure and driver of resilient urban form across a variety of spatial and temporal scales. The course stresses the importance of site analysis and locale-appropriate ecological urban concepts and sustainable design strategies. Focused on nature-based solutions, the course explores how to apply climate- and seal level rise-adaptation design principles to ecologically and socially resilient urban-scale built environment interventions and mixed-use development in Hawai’i. The critical goal is to understand and apply contemporary concepts of ecological urbanism, adaptation to climate change and sea level rise (SLR), water-sensitive low-impact development (LID), large-scale nature-based blue-green infrastructure, local food and resource systems, carbon neutrality, energy efficiency, social and environmental justice, cultural appropriateness, decolonization, urban placemaking, livability, connectivity, walkability, and transit-oriented development (TOD).

UHCDC Studio Context In 2016, the School of Architecture launched a public interest-driven community design center that engages needs of the state in all areas related to the quality and performance of built environments. The mission of the University of Hawai‘i Community Design Center (UHCDC) is to extend and augment academic research and instruction through faculty-supervised design, planning, placemaking, visioning, and outreach services of measurable benefit to the public. As a hybrid program of education and teaching practice, UHCDC offers Hawai’i a platform for faculty, professionals, and students to collaborate on interdisciplinary research and design projects that serve the public interest. This ARCH 743 studio offers students an opportunity to explore concepts related to a potential future UHCDC design research project that would contribute to an effort towards the development of a Sea Level Adaptation & Resilience Plan for the Waikīkī District. Class participants’ creative work serves as a unique academic asset, stimulates discourse, and thus supports the ongoing state-led Waikīkī resilience goals. The research and creative work generated in ARCH 743 would precede a UHCDC project team’s potential subsequent efforts. In turn, students registered in the course will gain invaluable real-world public-interest design and service experience.

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