Kanu o ka Aina Learning Ohana in Waimea has won the 2013 Jack C. Lipman American Institute of Architects Members’ Choice Award. The award was established in 1999 in honor of Lipman, one of the AIA Hawaii chapter’s past presidents.
Kanu o ka Aina Learning Ohana in Waimea has won the 2013 Jack C. Lipman American Institute of Architects Members’ Choice Award. The award was established in 1999 in honor of Lipman, one of the AIA Hawaii chapter’s past presidents.
The award recipient is recognized as having achieved an outstanding level of design — appropriate to the climate and culture of Hawaii, as voted by fellow AIA Honolulu members.
“Having won an award for phase I of Kauhale Oiwi o Puukapu and now also for phase II validates so much of what we are about, what we are accomplishing, and the positive direction that we are headed,” said Taffi Wise, executive director of Kanu o ka Aina Learning Ohana. “So many key people were involved along the way. In particular, Ken Melrose of Paahana Enterprises and Katie Benioni, KALO’s Kauhale Project coordinator, were two individuals who helped us successfully complete both the first and second phases of our project build.” KALO hired Boston-based Flansburgh Architects to assist in master planning a new central campus.
In September 2012, school opened its 9,100 square-foot Halau Pokii, home to preschool through fifth-grade classrooms, and the 6,200 square-foot Halau Puke, a library for school and community use. The buildings occupy a site on Department of Hawaiian Homes Land and are part of Kanu o ka Aina Learning Ohana’s initiatives to support culture-based education and the community.
The buildings reflect the value-based pedagogy of aloha and are designed to celebrate life-long learning, providing spaces for a culturally driven educational curriculum for those of all ages.
To learn more, visit KALO.org.