The best in local architecture was recognized by AIA Honolulu during its 58th annual Design Awards.
The event was held Saturday night at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Daniel K. Inouye Regional Center, on Ford Island, which was itself an honoree in last year’s competition.
This year’s awards recognized design excellence for 2016. Nearly 300 people attended the gala event.
The honorees include:
- Award of Merit: Residential, for the Harirak residence in Bangkok. Architect Janice Li, AIA, Tadpole Studio.
- Award of Merit: Commercial/Industrial, for Cafe Lani in Ala Moana Center. Architect Hiroto Suzuki, AIA, Wanderlust Plus.
- Award of Merit: Commercial/Industrial, for Tempura Ichidai in Honolulu. Architect Hiroto Suzuki, AIA, Wanderlust Plus.
- Honorable Mention: Residential, for Kaupulehu residence on the South Kohala Coast on the Big Island. Architect Mark de Reus, AIA, de Reus Architects.
- Honorable Mention: Commercial/Industrial, for IBEW Local 1186 Office/HI Electricians Training Center in Kahului. Architect Bettina Mehnert, FAIA, Architects Hawaii Ltd.
- Honorable Mention: Commercial/Industrial, for the commercial building 3470 Waialae in Kaimuki. Architect Geoffrey Lewis, AIA, Geoffrey Lewis Architect Inc.
- Honorable Mention: Commercial/Industrial, for Haleiwa Store Lots. Architect James Stone, AIA, Group 70 International Inc.
An honorable mention in the unbuilt category went to the design for the University of Hawaii Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Diamond Head, by David Akinaka, AIA, of Ferraro Choi And Associates Ltd. The Mayor’s Choice Award was presented to a two-story commercial building in Kailua, 143 Hekili by Laura Ayers, AIA, of WhiteSpace Architects.
The public cast more than 1,300 online votes across 33 projects to determine the 10th Annual People’s Choice Award. The recipient was a private residence, Hale Kilo I’a in Kailua by Ryan Fujita, AIA, of Fujita + Netski Architecture.
This year’s award jury included John Hara, FAIA, founding principal of John Hara Associates Inc.; Grant Chang, AIA, senior designer at Solomon, Cordwell, Buenz; Kristin Nakagawa, AIA, owner of Inhabit LLC; Gordon Tyau, AIA ME, co-founder of Group 70 International; and John Whalen, FAICP, founding principal of PlanPacific.
This year’s awards also featured the inaugural AIA Honolulu Student Design Awards given in undergraduate and graduate student categories.