In July, architecture students from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa presented their final projects to the Maui Economic Recovery Commission at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, marking the culmination of a semester-long effort to envision Lahaina’s recovery from the 2023 wildfires.
Through physical models and conceptual designs, 40 graduate and undergraduate students from the School of Architecture capstone studios explored new approaches to community gathering, long-term resilience and economic revitalization.
The capstone studios, led by faculty members Yasushi Ishida, Ho Kyung Lee and Felipe Igualt, brought together students to develop speculative architectural proposals related to the Lahaina Business Project, one of the priority initiatives identified in the Lahaina Long-Term Recovery Plan.
Assistant Professor Felipe Igualt and graduate student Rebecca Hiller shared the work and gathered feedback from participants on priorities and longer-term aspirations for Lahaina.
“Working with a real-world collaborator gives students real conditions and constraints to respond to while still allowing them to imagine what might be possible,” said Ishida. “That balance is incredibly valuable for design education.”
Learning from Lahaina
In March, 35 students and three faculty members traveled to Lahaina to study two potential sites for the project—Kai Hele Ku and the former Outlets of Maui. Students documented existing conditions through observation, photography and sketching.
The group also met with members of the Lahaina Town Action Committee, including Sne Patel, Tambara Garrick and Kawika Freitas, at Lahainaluna High School. Faculty shared examples of work underway in the studio, followed by an open discussion between students and community stakeholders about the sites, rebuilding efforts and Lahaina’s future.
“Lahaina’s recovery will take collaboration, creativity and a willingness to look at challenges in new ways. I was really impressed by how the UH architecture students incorporated Lahaina’s history and culture into their concepts while also thinking about resilience and designing for our changing climate,” said Patel, president of the Lahaina Town Action Committee.
Studio proposals, community conversation
Following the visit, students continued developing their proposals throughout the semester. Two graduate students developed individual projects, while undergraduate students worked collaboratively to produce 14 additional proposals, resulting in 16 projects exploring different approaches to architecture, landscape, public space and infrastructure.
The Maui Economic Recovery Commission brought some of those proposals back to Maui, where physical models helped participants engage with the projects and discuss ideas for Lahaina’s future.
“The project should be understood as a connected public landscape in which architecture, ecology, access, mobility and climate adaptation work together,” said Igualt.
“As students, we are less beholden to strict budgets and logistical details, and thus have the freedom to consider bolder and more creative solutions,” Hiller said.
The studio was conducted in collaboration with the Lahaina Town Action Committee. The Maui field visit and related activities were supported by the Hawaiʻi Building Industry Foundation’s Maui Recovery + Rebuild Fund, American Institute of Architects (AIA) Maui, AIA Honolulu and the School of Architecture.
