Future of Hawai‘i’s Housing
Exploring Housing for All

Principal Investigators:
Karla Sierralta, AIA
Brian Strawn, AIA

Report

The Future of Hawaii’s Housing: Exploring Housing for All report documents the findings of three closely related projects conducted for the Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority including: Future of Hawai‘i’s Public Housing, Understanding Density and Local Typologies, and Covid-19 Pandemic Analysis. Together, these projects, referred to as Future of Hawai‘i’s Housing: Exploring Housing for All, aim to inform the design of future development and redevelopment projects by HPHA.  

The research took place in two parallel tracks: In the first track, our team interviewed 30 families in their homes across the Hawaiian Archipelago, met with topic experts, and analyzed local & global case studies to develop guiding principles and design guidelines that would serve as foundational knowledge for subsequent studies. The second track centered on density studies and visualizations, including local multifamily housing typologies and a survey of half-mile neighborhood samples spanning rural to urban contexts. These studies inform the development of strategies for comfortable density across the state.

Our team piloted and tested prototypes with a community engagement approach to refine key concepts and strategies during the process. Our academic setting provided additional opportunities to inform the research, including course integrations, interviews, conferences, and symposiums. In 2020, amidst the COVID-19 global pandemic, the team re-examined research findings through the lens of the ongoing crisis. These efforts led to the development and production of the Holistic Housing Design Framework and the Holistic Housing Design Toolkit, intended to inspire future designs, inform redevelopment processes, and support community engagement activities in the planning of housing for all in Hawai‘i. The groundwork generated from this foundational research ignited the creation of the Holistic Housing Lab.

Future of Hawai‘i’s Housing Project Credits:

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I AT MĀNOA:
Principal Investigators:
Karla Sierralta, AIA, Associate Professor & Director Undergraduate Studies, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, School of Architecture
Brian Strawn, AIA, Director, Office of Planning & Spatial Experience, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

ProjectResearch Associates:
Alison Chiu, John ‘Eiwa Colburn IX, Jason Hashimoto, Christina Holcom, Charles Palanza, Chris Songvilay, Sho Tetsutani, Griffin Ward, Hunter Wells

Student Project Assistants:
Keola Annino, Micah Axalan, Airon Castaneda, Hunter-Bailey Kaimikaua, Keli‘i Kapali, Renz Laforteza, Beau Nakamori, Vivianne Nguyen, Rand Oshiro, Coby Shimabukuro Sanchez, Mackenzie Suess, Edwin Sun, Bryson Tabaniag, Areyn Undan, Kayla Watabu, Lisa Watanabe

HAWAI‘I PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY:
Hakim Ouansafi, Executive Director
Kevin D. Auger, Redevelopment Officer
Becky Choi, State Housing Development Admin
Sery Berhanu, Housing Development Specialist

RESEARCH PARTNERS:
Forge Studio:
Rebecca Buck, Ethnographer & Digital Strategist

KPF Urban Interface:
Luc Wilson, Director
Snoweria Zhang, Urban Innovation Architect
Brandon Pachuca, Urban Data Analyst, Developer

TOPIC EXPERTS:
Allison Arieff, Design and Architecture Writer
Phillip M.E. Garboden, PHD, UHM DURP

DESIGN RESEARCH ADVISORS:
Alisa Weinstein, UX, Research & Strategy
HyunJoo Lee, Design Research

RE-IMAGINING HPHA SERIES:
Principal Investigators and their teams:
Phillip M.E. Garboden, Ph.D, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Department of Urban and Regional Planning 
Jennifer Darrah-Okike, Ph.D, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Department of Sociology

GRAPHIC DESIGN CONSULTANT:
JIll Misawa, Graphic Design & Visual Communication

PHOTOGRAPHY:
Parking Day Drone Footage: Elias Dean
Lawn Loungers Photography: Tom Takata

THANKS TO:
UHM School of Architecture:
William Chapman, PHD UHM SoA Interim Dean
Daniel Friedman, FAIA, UHM SoA Dean
Cathi Ho Schar, FAIA, UHCDC Director
Steve Hill, UHM SoA Fabrication Lab Director
UHM SoA BEnvD Arch 342 students Spring 2019, Spring 2021, Spring 2022
UHM SoA DArch students John Quindara, Connie Kwan, and Christina Holcom

2019 Building Voices Housing for All Symposium guest speakers, attendees, and assistants. Especially:
David Baker, FAIA David Baker Architects
Marsha Maytum, FAIA, Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects