Kapiwai Residences

The master plan and home designs honor the site’s spirit of place and natural beauty, including a spring-fed stream, 25-foot waterfall, old growth forest and historic stone agricultural terraces. The resulting plan contains just 24 residential sites for a property designated as urban and zoned for up to 137 units. Only eight acres will be developed, with the remaining seven acres kept as a preserve.

Homes are sited atop a ridge 550 feet above sea level overlooking the gardens and stream, with views beyond to downtown Honolulu, the Punchbowl Crater and the ocean. Each residence sits like a fully detached home, but the garage walls abut, providing flexibility to achieve natural ventilation in living areas and decreasing the buildings’ impact on the site.

We designed the homes to incorporate sustainable materials well-suited to the tropical climate. Rooflines provide a contemporary aesthetic and allow interior ceilings to rise 12 feet high to create open, light-filled spaces.