School of Architecture (SoA)

School of Architecture(SOA)

About the School

The School of Architecture is the global center for the study of Asia-Pacific architecture.  The School is committed to the aggressive pursuit and establishment of the knowledge base for this regional architecture, and effectively educating students, academics, and professional practitioners to meet the architectural challenges of Hawai‘i, Asia and the Pacific Region. 

Mission

The primary mission of the School of Architecture is to offer the highest quality architectural education to prepare students to be ethical and humane professionals, with a desire for life-long learning, a commitment to excellence, and the aspiration to be contributing members of society. To fulfill its mission of preparing competent architects and future leaders in international practice, the School offers a quality program, distinguished faculty, and highly qualified students.

Degree Programs

The School of Architecture confers the Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) degree, recognized by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), and the professional Architecture Doctorate (ArchD) degree, a seven-year professional program. Graduates of the seven-year program receive both the BArch and ArchD.

The Architecture Doctorate is a 212-credit program that carefully integrates off-campus professional training and overseas cross-cultural experience. The program consists of two segments: the four-year Pre-Professional Studies (BArch) followed by the three-year Professional Studies (ArchD) segment. The Pre-Professional segment addresses the liberal arts core requirements in addition to the study of architectural design principles and applications. The Professional Studies segment comprises a concentrated study of architectural design principles and applications, including a number of elective courses. Professional Studies provides students with opportunities for overseas learning, and involves them in the professional practice of architecture incorporating experience in architectural firms. The Doctoral Project culminates the experience in the final year of the program. With careful planning and full utilization of the summers and/or prior university education, the seven-year program may be completed in less time.

Units within the School of Architecture

Asia-Pacific Center for Architecture

The purpose of the Asia-Pacific Center for Architecture (APCA) is to further the understanding of Asia-Pacific architecture as a derivative of the cultural ideals of the region. The rich multi-cultural and multi-climatic environs of this vast region provide a unique contest for vernacular architecture, a sensitive response that APCA will seek to strengthen.

Under its general mission, APCA will seek to develop literacy in regional architecture, and to advance scholarship in this area. It will seek opportunities to provide a bridge between the historical and theoretical elements and the practical architectural design considerations of cities, landscapes and buildings in the Asia-Pacific region. APCA will encourage exchange between academicians, practitioners, clients and government officials to help create a more sensitively designed environment for the region. It will also help to facilitate effective professional relationships throughout the area.

Strategically located in the middle of the Pacific Basin, at the cultural interface between east and west, APCA will be the focus for informational interchange on Asia-Pacific architecture and architectural practice.

Interesting Facts about the School of Architecture

  • 98% of graduates are employed in the fields of architecture and construction, and 70% of graduates are employed in Hawai‘i.
  • The School offers a full six-year term of accreditation by the NAAB for the comprehensive seven-year professional program, the first of its kind in the nation.
  • The School of Architecture is one of the three schools that "make(s) a difference" according to the Leading Schools Survey conducted by Design Intelligence.
  • The School is ranked #22 in graduate programs of architecture, and #30 in undergraduate programs in architecture in the Gourman Report.
  • The Schools American Institute of Architects Students (AIAS) organization has won 14 national awards, more than any other AIAS chapter in the nation.
  • Curriculum includes one year of international practice in which students are mentored by leading principals of internationally renowned architectural firms.
  • It offers four research centers: the Heritage Center, the Environmental Control Systems Laboratory, the Geolabs-Hawaii Hillside Design Center, and the Construction Process Innovation Laboratory.
  • It is supported by the Asia Pacific Center for Architecture, which conducts a myriad of regionally focused programs including the Biennial Symposium on Asia Pacific Architecture.
  • Students in the program double-major in architecture and liberal studies in the first four years.
  • Every student has his/her own computerized design work station.
  • Facilities

    • The School of Architecture features four research centers:

    • Construction Process Innovative Lab for innovative application of new construction technology and design communication.
    • Geolabs-Hawai‘i Hillside Design Center for research on design for hillside conditions
    • Heritage Center for regional vernacular, historic, architectural and cultural preservation. Winner of the 2000 National Preservation Honor Award from the National Trust Historic Preservation for its project on the Uchida Coffee Farm on the Big Island of Hawai‘i.
    • Environmental Control Systems Lab for environmental design with tropical, Asia Pacific focus
  • Facts & Figures

    • The School of Architecture has 12 full-time, and one part-time faculty members. (Data Table 4.2)

     

    Fall 2001 Enrollment

    • Total Students: 212
    • Men: 131 (62%), Women: 81 (38%)
    • Number of Undergraduate Students: 174, Graduate Students: 38
    • Undergraduate Men: 107 (61%)
    • Undergraduate Women 67 (39%)
    • Graduate Men: 24 (63%)
    • Graduate Women 14 (37%)

    • Degrees conferred (AY 2001-2002): 54 Total

    • 43 Bachelor of Architecture Degrees
    • 6 Master of Architecture Degrees
    • 5 Architecture Doctorates

    • Ethnic Diversity of the Student Body

    • Asian/Pacific Islander: 148 (70%)
    • Japanese: 49 (23%)
    • Chinese: 29 (14%)
    • Korean: 9 (4%)
    • Filipino: 27 (13%)
    • Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian: 13 (6%)
    • Pacific Islander: 4 (2%)
    • Other Asian: 7 (3%)
    • Mixed Asian/Pacific Islander: 10 (5%)
    • Hispanic: 5 (2%)
    • Caucasian: 42 (20%)
    • African American: 0
    • American Indian/Alaska Native: 0
  • Student Profile
    • The School has selective admission.  Students have among the highest SAT scores on campus.
    • 70% are Hawai‘i residents. Out-of-state and international students comprise 30% of the student body.
    • The School of Architecture students are known for their proficiency in computer-aided design, professional practice skills and international experience.

    • Student Organizations

    • American Institute of Architecture Students: This student organization has won 14 national awards – more than any other chapter in the nation.
    • Tau Sigma Delta, National Honor Society in Architecture.

    • Faculty Profile

    Administration

    W.H. Raymond Yeh, FAIA , Dean and Professor
    BS, BArch Oregon; MArch Minnesota

    Joyce M. Noe , Associate Dean and Associate Professor
    BArch Illinois, MDes Harvard

     

    The Faculty

    2001-2002 Academic Year

    Professors

    Barry John Baker , Professor
    Diploma Arch New South Wales

    Jack T. Sidener, FAIA, Professor
    BArch, PhD California, Berkeley; MArch MCP U of Pennsylvania

    W.H. Raymond Yeh, FAIA , Dean and Professor
    BS, BArch Oregon; MArch Minnesota

    Associate Professors

    Amy C. Anderson , Associate Professor
    BA Wellesley College; MArch Columbia

    Frederick L. Creager, Associate Professor
    BS. Arch, U of Illinois

    A. Spencer Leineweber, FAIA , Associate Professor
    BArch Cornell; MA Hawai‘i

    Leighton K.F. Liu , Associate Professor
    BA , MFA Hawai‘i

    Fabrizio M. Medosi , Associate Professor
    BArch, MArch, Columbia

    Joyce M. Noe , Associate Dean and Associate Professor
    BArch Illinois, MDes Harvard

    Victor Olgyay , Associate Professor
    BS Antioch; MArch MIT

    Gordon D.C. Tyau , Associate Professor
    BArch California, Berkeley; MSArch Columbia

    Assistant Professors

    Kazi K. Ashraf , Assistant Professor
    BArch Bangladesh U of Engineering & Technology; Dhaka; SMArchs MIT, PhD. U of Pennsylvania

    Pu Miao , Assistant Professor
    BS Tongji, China; MArch, PhD California, Berkeley 

    Stephen E. Meder , Assistance Professor
    BFA, MArch, ArchD Hawai‘i

    Jin Ho Park , Assistant Professor
    BS Inha University, Korea; MArch, PhD UCLA

    Samia Rab, Assistant Professor
    BArch National College of Arts, Pakistan; SMArchS MIT; PhD Georgia Tech

    Lecturers

    Janet T. Gillmar , Lecturer
    BArch Illinois; MLA Harvard

    Ron E. Iwamoto, Lecturer
    BSCE, MSCE Hawai‘i

    Michael L. Lam , Lecturer
    BA Hawai‘i; JD Santa Clara

    Darin K. Okuda, Lecturer
    BSCE Hawai‘i; MSCE Stanford

     

    Facts about the Faculty

    • Three have won American Institute of Architecture Students national “Educator of the Year” awards, more than any other school in the nation.
    • The School has the highest percentage of faculty distinguished as Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in one school: 25% of full-time faculty, and 80% of adjunct practicum faculty.
    • Faculty includes Rome Prize and AIA National Design Award winners

     

    Faculty Honors and Awards (2000-2001)

    • University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents Excellence in Teaching Award: Jin-Ho Park
    • National Preservation Honor Award: Spencer Leineweber
    • 2001 Progressive Architecture Award by Architecture Magazine: Mark Anderson
    • Progressive Architecture Award: Peter Anderson
    • National American Institute of Architecture Students Special Accomplishment Award: Joyce Noe
    • Kapolei Outstanding Achievement Award: Spencer Leineweber
    • Mayor’s Award of Merit: Spencer Leineweber
    • Commendation for Historic Homes of Ewa Villages: Spencer. Leineweber
    • U.S. Department of Energy Award for the design of the Pearl Harbor Photovoltaic System: Stephen Meder
    • Federal Energy Water Management Award, 2001: Stephen Meder
    • American Institute of Architects Hong Kong Chapter Award: Jin-Ho Park

     

    Faculty Publications and Presentations (2000-2002 Academic Years)

    • Total Publications: 27
    • Total Paper Presentations: 54

     

    Leadership in International, National, Regional and State Professional Organizations

    • President, Hawai‘i State Council of the American Institute of Architects: Barry John Baker
    • Trustee, Historic Hawai‘i Foundation: Spencer Leineweber
    • State Task Force/Steering Committee - Improving Performance of Hawai‘i Commercial Buildings: Stephen Meder
    • Steering Committee - Building Industry Association of Hawai‘i: Stephen Meder:
    • Board of Directors: Kailua Urban Design Task Force: Stephen Meder
    • Founding Member and SoA Representative, Rebuild Hawai‘i Consortium: Stephen Meder
    • Board Member, Citizens Action Group: Stephen Meder

    Community Service Initiatives (2000 – 2002)

    Creative Performances, Exhibits and Other Projects: (2000 – 2002)

    • Exhibition on the National Capital Complex in Bangladesh
    • Exhibit at the Building Operators and Managers Association Expo
    • Radio and TV Spots featuring photovoltaic research
    • Two theoretic paintings at the International Society for the Interdisciplinary Study of Exhibit at the Symmetry Congress in Sydney, Australia
    • International Youth Biennale: ARCH Idea 2002, Vladivostok Russia
    • Chosun Daily Newspaper Art Gallery, Seoul Korea
    • Federal Housing Site Planning

     

    Research Projects (2000 – 2002)

    • Windward Community College Preservation Plan
    • Hale Alii, Pearl Harbor Historic Preservation Review
    • Wailupe Coast Guard Facility Preservation Plan
    • State Bridges National Register Research
    • “Students, Interns, and Architects: A Learning Network for Women in Hawai‘i”
    • Caste Study on Housing for Gentry Homes
    • “A New Old Sustainable Energy Conscious Home”
    • ReBuild America Program
    • Photovoltaic entry canopy for Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO)
    • Solar Radiation Assessment for Existing Oahu Buildings
    • Preliminary investigations for the HECO Hawai‘i Energy Center
    • Updating the UH Energy House
    • Energy Efficiency Design Standards
    • Hillside Housing Study
    • Manoa Campus Walkways Study
    • Chinatown Revitalization Study

     

    Service Projects

    • The Uchida Coffee Farm – SoA Heritage Center: Provided hands-on expertise for the appropriate methodology of restoration, receiving the 2000 National Preservation Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
    • Energy Efficient Mortgages Incentive:  Through the SoA Environmental Control Systems Lab, SOA helps homeowners save money on their energy costs, and at the same time lower their mortgage.  The program is funded by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to perform research and develop educational outreach programs for sustainable design and building practices in Hawai‘i.
    • Rongelap Atoll Resettlement (Marshall Islands) ( http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/Rongelap/webpage/resettlement.htm )
    • Eco-tourism Planning for the Saddle Road Highway
    • Construction of a Sun-shading structure for the Children’s Center at the UH Manoa
    • “Creative Containers” for AIA/CIS Expo 2000
    • “The Worm Tunnel” for the Honolulu Zoo
    • College Hill: Accessibility Design
    • Halloween Pumpkin Esquisse
    • Sandcastle Building

     

    Diversity Initiatives

    • Architecture program for Native Hawaiians (Two weeks)

     

    Studio Exchange Programs

    • National University of Singapore School of Architecture
    • Tongji University (Shanghai, China)
    • Inha University (Korea)
    • Chinese University of Hong Kong
    • Chulalongkorn University (Thailand)
    • University of California Los Angeles

     

    Visiting Research Scholars Program

    • Miyagi University (Japan)
    • Tongji University (Shanghai, China)

    Prominent Alumni

    • Michael Chun (BArch, AIA) Chairman, Wimberly Allison Tong and Goo (Newport Beach, London and Honolulu)
    • Brian Honda, (BArch, AIA) Senior Vice President, Jerde Partnership International (Los Angeles, CA)
    • Tom Jaggers (BArch, AIA), Vice President, Jerde Partnership International
    • Syed Zaigham S. Jaffery (MArch), Chairman, Architects Regional Council Asia
    • George Ikenoyama (MArch, AIA), Professor Emeritus, California Polytechnic State University
    • Charles Lau (BArch, AIA), Chairman, AM Partners
    • Don Clifford (BArch, AIA), and Janine Shinoki Clifford (BArch, AIA), Clifford Projects
    • Francis Oda (ArchD, AIA), Chairman, Group 70 International
    • Sheryl Seaman (BArch, AIA), Group 70 International
    • Lloyd Arakaki (BArch, AIA), Architects Hawai‘i
    • Charles Chan (BArch, AIA), Architects Hawai‘i
    • Dwight Matsunaga (ArchD, AIA), Pacific Architects
    • Carol Sakata (ArchD, AIA), CDS International
    • Tsao Yuan-Lon (ArchD) Tsao Yuan-Lon (Taipei)
    • Randall Lau (BArch.), Design Builder
    • Michael Leineweber (ArchD, AIA) Durrant-Media Five
    • Robert Fielden (ArchD, FAIA), RAFI: Planning, Architecture, Urban Design (Las Vegas)

    Extramural Grants and Awards (2001 – 2002)

    • Grants: $407,000 (per architecture)

    Participating International Firms (for Practicum Studio)

    • AM Partners (Honolulu)
    • Anshen + Allen Architects, San Francisco
    • Architects Hawai‘i, Honolulu
    • Architecture International, Mill Valley, California
    • CDS International, Honolulu
    • Gensler, San Francisco
    • Group 70 International, Inc., Honolulu
    • Gruen Associates, Los Angeles
    • Haigo Shen and Associates, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Kallmann McKinnell & Wood Architects, Inc., Boston
    • Kober/Hanssen/Mitchell, Honolulu
    • Kauahikaua & Chun Architects, Honolulu
    • Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, New York
    • NBBJ, Seattle
    • Obayashi Corporation, Osaka, Japan
    • PageSoutherlandPage, Houston
    • Payette Associates, Boston
    • The Leonard Parker Associates, Minneapolis
    • The Stubbins Associates, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts
    • TR Hamzah & Yeang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    • Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo, Honolulu
    • Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership, Portland, Oregon

    Architecture Doctorate Program Advisory Committee

    • Kenneth F. Brown, AIA
    • James P. Cramer, Hon. AIA
    • Donald W. Y. Goo, FAIA
    • Kisho Kurokawa, Hon. FAIA
    • Haigo T.H. Shen, Hon. FAIA
    • W. Cecil Steward, FAIA
    • Janet R. White, FAIA
    • Kenneth K.M. Yeang, Hon. FAIA
    • W. H. Raymond Yeh, FAIA (Ex Officio)

      •