HistoricHawaii

By Virginia Murison, AIA, Consulting Preservation Architect HABS' ORIGINS The Iolani Bandstand was erected in front of the ‘Iolani Palace in 1883 as a pavilion for coronation of King Kalakaua (1883 Photo). It was later moved to its current location. Begun in 1933, the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) was the nation's first documentation program of America's architectural heritage. The initial legislation stated that, "A comprehensive and continuous national survey is the logical concern of the Federal Government." As a national sur­vey, the HABS collection is intended to represent "a complete resume of the builder's art." Thus, the building selection ranges in type and style from the monumental and architect-designed to the utilitarian and vernacular, including a sampling of a vast array of regionally and ethnically derived building traditions. COUNTERPARTS TO HABS THAT WERE ADDED LATER INCLUDE: HAER: The Historic American Engineering Record established in 1969 as a companion program to HABS that would record historic engineering and industrial sites. HALS: The National Park Service permanently established the Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS) program in 2000 for the systematic documentation of historic landscapes. PURPOSE: The HABS program was set up by Congress to perform several functions: Document the rapidly disappearing body of buildings constructed before 1860 (an initial requirement which has since been expanded to any historic era); Provide work during the Great Depression for qualified unemployed architects, photographers, and historians; Provide information on structures subsequently lost for academic study; and Serve as insurance for a significant structure, so it could be rebuilt in the case of a catastrophic loss. Gradually the program transitioned into summer work projects for students overseen by qualified architects and related professionals. COMPONENTS: Following Standards established by the [...]

By Alison Chiu, LEED AP, Fung Associates Adaptive re-use is a common buzzword these days, but what is it, really, and why should we do it?  With a variety of influential factors that includes rapid technological progress, uncompromising economic demands and the daily necessities of work and home life, people’s needs within their spatial environment are constantly changing at any given time. Thus, the demands placed upon a city and the way we use buildings, new and old, are also constantly evolving. Vanguard Lofts, a residential development in Honolulu, gave new life to a commercial building. Adaptive re-use is the transformation of a building from its original function to a new purpose that addresses and better reflects current needs; for instance, a historic theater now used as a community church (Waipahu Theater is one example). It refers to the evolution and possibility of multiple uses over a building’s lifetime. Through doing so, it encourages creativity and versatility in design, which can be a catalyst for lively regeneration within a city, instead of the final act of demolition. Projects often include exterior restoration or rehabilitation, as well as modifications to update the interior physical fabric for contemporary use. Appropriate setback additions may also be incorporated to increase square footage while maintaining the original footprint in a dense, urban area. The possibilities for adaptive re-use are endless. Successful examples of re-use projects in Hawai‘i include: military facilities transformed as museum, office and research areas (NOAA Daniel K. Inouye Regional Center, one of many examples of repurposed aircraft hangars); commercial space remodeled as luxury apartments (The Vanguard Lofts on Kapi‘olani); a historic estate converted to a school campus (La Pietra School for Girls) or as an [...]