Kauhale Kai

For this site perched above Kaunaoa Bay on Hawaii’s Big Island, design inspiration came from the clients’ affinity for modern art and architecture and their desire to capture Hawaii’s warm sense of aloha in a seaside home to share with extended family. The resulting interpretation of the traditional, close-knit, Hawaiian kauhale settlement is an elevated version of the island’s laid-back style, driven by restraint and understatement while designed for tropical livability.

An architectural pool forms the axis for organizing seven separate modern tropical pavilions, or hales, totaling 6,700 square feet. The hales are linked by outdoor gardens and spaces that act as corridors to create a village. These transitional spaces add a gracious quality to the home and provide a unifying synergy between the hale structures, tropical plantings, large-scale stone exterior elements and the site’s coastal views.

Minimalist finishes reinforce the clean lines, with warm woods complementing cool sand-grained plaster and brushed travertine floors. Easily maintained finishes and floors that welcome bare feet reinforce the aloha factor. The design incorporates cultural cues from ancient Polynesian culture, referencing the homeowners’ years of living in Tahiti. A stacked stone water feature at the entry and monoliths alongside outdoor pavilions evoke ancient Polynesian cultures.

de Reus Architects was honoured with an Award of Excellence in the 2014 AIA Honolulu Design Awards.