Modern Tropical House Design | Kauhale Kai | Hawaii | de Reus Architects

For this site perched above Kaunaoa Bay on Hawaii’s Big Island, design inspiration came from the clients’ affinity for modern art and architecture and their desire to capture Hawaii’s warm sense of aloha in a seaside home to share with extended family. The resulting interpretation of the traditional, close-knit, Hawaiian kauhale settlement is an elevated version of the island’s laid-back style, driven by restraint and understatement while designed for tropical livability.

An architectural pool forms the axis for organizing seven separate modern tropical pavilions, or hales, totaling 6,700 square feet. The hales are linked by outdoor gardens and spaces that act as corridors to create a village. These transitional spaces add a gracious quality to the home and provide a unifying synergy between the hale structures, tropical plantings, large-scale stone exterior elements and the site’s coastal views.

Minimalist finishes reinforce the clean lines, with warm woods complementing cool sand-grained plaster and brushed travertine floors. Easily maintained finishes and floors that welcome bare feet reinforce the aloha factor. The design incorporates cultural cues from ancient Polynesian culture, referencing the homeowners’ years of living in Tahiti. A stacked stone water feature at the entry and monoliths alongside outdoor pavilions evoke ancient Polynesian cultures......more

Hawaii Modern House | Kona Residence | Kona | Hawaii | Belzberg Architects

Nestled between cooled lava flows, the Kona residence situates its axis not with the linearity of the property, but rather with the axiality of predominant views available to the site. Within the dichotomy of natural elements and a geometric hardscape, the residence integrates both the surrounding views of volcanic mountain ranges to the east and ocean horizons westward.

The program is arranged as a series of pods distributed throughout the property, each having its own unique features and view opportunities. The pods are programmatically assigned as two sleeping pods with common areas, media room, master suite and main living space. An exterior gallery corridor becomes the organizational and focal feature for the entire house, connecting the two pods along a central axis.......more

WAILEA HOUSE Maui, Hawaii | Ike Kligerman Barkley Architects

These thatched roof houses occupy an acre of grass below swaying coconut palms on a Maui beach, facing west over the ocean and explosive Hawaiian sunsets. Drawing on Polynesian long house precedents, life here takes place for the most part within one great timbered, airy room. The vermilion stucco anchors the buildings into the island’s iron-rich volcanic soil. The great structural timbers recall pole houses indigenous to this island state.....more

Waipolu Gallery and Studio July 2010 Oahu, Hawaii | Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

Located on the island of Oahu, this private gallery and studio offers spectacular views of the Pacific to the south and nearby Diamond Head to the northeast.

Design concept and solution: Rather than replicate the traditional Hawaiian character of the existing residence, the new building is a sculptural presence whose varied spaces house a modern art collection. A copper clad structure encloses the primary gallery space, its apertures framing views of Diamond Head and the ocean. Orientation on the site and precisely positioned overhangs mitigate the tropical sun.

Along the other edge of the steeply sloped site, a bar of concrete, glass and stainless steel defines the linear studio space. Three horizontal trays separate guest quarters, home office and art display and storage. The building’s two elements are joined by a square tubular glass bridge that floats above a stone staircase linking all three levels. The land’s natural terracing offers each level its own private entry sequence. Following the topography, articulated landscape connects the new building to the existing house and garage....more

Lavaflow 3, Davis | Hall House | Big Island, Hawaii | Architect Craig Steely

The house, located along the Puna coastline, is sited to allow views of the ocean from all rooms. Overhangs, slats, and louvered walls provide privacy from the nearby street and protection from the prevailing weather direction. The main living area is cantilevered above a protected garden.
Architect Craig Steely