Address
3210 Melemele Place, Honolulu, HI 96822
3210 Melemele Place, Honolulu, HI 96822
TMK
(1) 2-9-070:002
SHPD Historic Site Number
N/A
The Bushnell Residence was designed and constructed by Alfred Preis, a Honolulu based master architect and Hawaii’s First State Planning Coordinator, who was commissioned by Dr. Oswald and Elizabeth Bushnell in 1949 to create a modern style home (now classified as “mid-century”). The residence’s long low forms, flat roof with geometric eaves, minimal use of ornamentation, integration of interior and exterior spaces and expansive use of glass make the house a notable example of mid-century modern design. The harmonious integration of simple and natural materials (wood, glass, brick), the use of mitered windows, the built in shelving and light fixtures, the emphasis on function and the meticulous attention to detail found in the Bushnell Residence became constant features of Preis’ work. While the melding of indoor and outdoor environments provide evidence of his evolution away from his earlier European design. The Bushnell Residence is significant under Criterion C because it represents the exceptionally well-preserved work of a master architect and is also significant under Criterion B, for the significance of Dr. Oswald “Ozzie” Bushnell, a nationally recognized and awarded Hawaiian novelist and historian, who resided in the home for over five decades and in which he wrote all of his influential works.
This list of Hawaii’s historic properties is provided as a public service by Historic Hawaii Foundation. It is not the official list of properties designated on the Hawaii State Register of Historic Places. For official designations and determinations of eligibility, contact the State Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources of the State of Hawaii at 808-692-8015.