The BIA Renaissance Building and Remodeling Awards, established in 1986, celebrates excellence in design and construction of new and remodeled projects in Hawaii. This showcase recognizes competing categories including Details, Kitchen & Bath, Landscape & Outdoor Living, New & Remodeled Commercial Building, New & Remodeled Residential Building, Public Works, Hawaii BuiltGreen™, Historical and Innovative Design & Construction. The 28th annual awards ceremony was held May 8 and 38 entrants from Maui, Molokai and Oahu represented an exciting year of statewide participation.
The entries were judged on creativity, use of materials, environmental focus, functionality, design principles, value, interior space, overall quality and workmanship.
The highlight of the awards ceremony was the recognition of the top four overall grand awards and the Carl Reppun Award. Today’s column will feature the winner of the Carl Reppun Award in the Residential Remodel division. The winner is Hawaii Architecture LLP and Complete Construction Services Corp. for “Makiki Heights Residence.”
The goal was to maintain many of the architectural highlights of this original 1937 Claude Albon Stiehl designed home while transforming a 75 year old 2,000 square foot structure into a completely retrofitted 3,000 square foot home to last another century. New elements to match the original style included banded horizontal exterior wall details, whitewash exterior, expansive use of window glazing, which not only created focal highlights of downtown Honolulu and Diamond Head, but also specifically targeted passive ventilation continuity with awning windows strategically placed under the extra deep roof overhangs.
An extensive deconstructive demolition process, photo voltaic, solar hot water systems and high efficiency double glazed window units incorporated sustainability. The central space of the house now functions as the heart of the home with 16-foot wide pocketing glass doors that open to a deck overlooking downtown Honolulu on one side and the private residential courtyard on the other, a transformation that honors timeless design.
Karen Nakamura is CEO of the Building Industry Association of Hawaii.