Pono Kauhale: Multi-Generational Housing in Big Island's Pahoa Village

Abstract

The Island of Hawaii is experiencing a housing shortage so extreme many Hawaiians face a choice of homelessness or relocation. However, even more damaging to the Native Hawaiians is the lack of cultural sensitivity this has caused and the architectural disconnect created by the housing shortage, a figurative and literal separation between ‘āina, the land, and the rich Hawaiian heritage. In a culture so intimately connected to the natural environment, this startling break from traditional vernacular design must be corrected. This thesis addresses both the physical needs of lodging and celebrates the ties between Hawaiians and āina through a proposed architectural design including multi-generational housing, a cultural center, and a spacious public garden in the village of Pahoa.