UH West Oahu selects architect for new campus

Architect of Punahou's Case Middle School to design community-friendly college campus

HONOLULU - The University of Hawaiʻi has selected John Hara Associates, Inc. to design phase I of the university's new West Oʻahu campus in Kapolei. The $150 million project will seek to develop a state-of the art campus with a complementary mix of residential, commercial, retail and mixed-use facilities to create a well-planned community to support the long term growth of the campus.

"Our goal is to create a ʻcollege town‘ atmosphere which will not only be conducive to the academic needs of our students, but also provide them the flexibility to work, shop and play within reach of the campus," said UH West Oʻahu Chancellor Gene Awakuni. "These things are an important part of enhancing the overall college experience and also benefits, faculty, staff and the business community."

Architect and company principal John Hara, who was also behind the innovative design of Punahou‘s Case Middle School — a $62 million project comprised of numerous sustainable design features — will spearhead the UH West Oʻahu project. Other buildings designed by the firm include many projects for the educational institutions of Hawaii, the Maui Arts and Cultural Center and the most recent additions to the Honolulu Academy of Arts.

"Sustainability and design has always been an important aspect of the design process, good design is sustainable design and we will continue to strive to achieve this goal." Said Hara.

Through the incorporation of sustainable features appropriate for the UH West Oʻahu campus, the focus will be on creating a healthy, energy efficient and environmentally sound campus which supports the lifestyles of those in and around it.

"Sustainability is an important part of any new structure being built today and is one of the core values of our university," said Awakuni. "This is especially important in Hawaiʻi where we live in a close-knit community with limited resources and want to ensure a future for our children. This is what we hope to achieve with the new UH West Oʻahu campus."

About the University of Hawaiʻi

Established in 1907 and fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, the University of Hawaiʻi is the state‘s sole public system of higher education. The UH System provides an array of undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees and community programs on 10 campuses and through educational, training, and research centers across the state. UH enrolls more than 50,000 students from Hawaiʻi, the U.S. mainland, and around the world. For more information, visit www.hawaii.edu.