Hawaiʻi’s vulnerable coastal communities must plan for adapting to the impacts of sea-level rise, groundwater inundation, and coastal erosion. Comprehensive and feasible adaptation and resilience actions are required to safeguard the State’s critical assets in sea-level rise exposure areas. Any effective long-term adaptation strategy must be attuned to those who live and work in affected communities. Residents, native Hawaiian groups, property owners, businesses, and other community members and stakeholders must be actively involved in the adaptation and resilience planning and decision-making process.

A state-funded analysis, planning, and participatory design effort, the Waikīkī Resilience & SLR Adaptation Project (WRAP) provided collaborative engagement and visioning activities for a climate-resilient Waikiki of the future (50 to 100-year horizon). The work visualized preliminary sea-level rise adaptation scenarios, including nature-based living shoreline solutions.

WRAP aimed to develop a framework and lay the groundwork for a future resilience and adaptation plan that addresses the projected long-term impacts of climate change and sea level rise in the Waikīkī Special District and beyond.

Project work included the development of strategies for effective subject matter expert and community outreach, engagement, and visioning to solicit and understand feedback on priorities and concerns; the analysis of relevant precedent initiatives in other jurisdictions; the inventory and analysis of current and projected conditions as well as relevant existing plans and proposals for Waikīkī and its context; assessing nature-based solutions, as appropriate, and other urban design strategies for long-term sea level rise and coastal flood adaptation; development of two initial sketch visions/alternatives for long-term adaptation design approaches to protect Waikīkī; and a conceptual implementation roadmap, including an initial timeline for potential adaptation measures and action triggers.

WRAP’s research, planning, and visioning components serve as critical public resources in the creation of climate-resilient Honolulu waterfronts. Potential future project phases are anticipated to culminate in a Waikīkī Resilience & Adaptation Plan, as well as proof-of-concept designs for catalytic project sites.

Client: State of Hawai‘i Office of Planning and Sustainable Development
Principal Investigator: Judith Stilgenbauer ASLA
Co-Investigator: Cathi Ho Schar FAIA
Project Staff: Emily Sobolewski Knight ASLA, Research Associate; Sierra Spears, Project Designer
Student Project Assistants: Alzira Fernandes, Zoe Angelopulo, Kiana Dai, Kenneth Morrow, Sierra Spears
Project Partners: UH Sea Grant College Program
UH SG Co-Investigators: Dolan Eversole and Dr. Darren Lerner
UH SG Project Staff: Dr. Brad Romine, Melanie Lander
Course Integration: ARCH 743 Spring 2022, ARCH 743 Spring 2023
Timeframe: January 2023 - May 2024
Award: 2024 Merit Award (Analysis & Planning Category), Hawaiʻi Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, triennial professional awards