Nature-based Climate Adaptation Design Concepts for Waikīkī

This urban design studio investigated the near- and long-term reintroduction of nature-based blue-green infrastructure for climate and sea level rise adaptation. The class focused on a mauka-makai transect through Waikīkī, reaching from the Ala Wai Canal to the ocean—including the federal lands surrounding Fort DeRussy. Six student teams developed forward-looking, speculative concepts for future mixed-use that embrace open-ended, dynamic urban 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 contribute to a long-term vision for a resilient 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.

Instructor: Judith Stilgenbauer
Students:
Doctor of Architecture Candidates - Chad Bolte, Kaylen Daquioag, Kayci Kumashiro, Matthew Lawson, Eric Teeples, Hunter Wells
Master of Landscape Architecture Candidates - Angelina Gomes, Rosemary Guenther, Delphine Homerowski, Markus Rodriguez, Sahar Sadeghi, Emily Sobolewski Knight