Want to Learn More About Building Better Communities for O‘ahu?

American Institute of Architects Honolulu hosts public design symposium workshops in November.

October 18, 2018

Rachel Ross Bradley,

Photo: Dreamstime

Ever hear a term like “livable cities” and wonder what that really means? You can learn the answer and quite a bit more at the American Institute of Architecture’s Design Symposium to Strategize Building Livable Cities and Communities. The three-day event, normally geared toward architects from Hawai‘i and the Northwest, is opening up to the general public on Nov. 15 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for people interested in topics that can improve our local communities. Walk-ins are welcome; pre-registration is not required.

The theme for this year’s event is Building Voices: Livable Cities & Communities. Topics for the Nov. 15 public workshops are designed to encourage dialogue to create more livable cities. Workshops include:

“Shifting Baselines and Developing Resilient City Design,” with the Honolulu Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency
“Multifamily Housing Solutions,” with the AIA Honolulu Housing Committee
“Zero Net Energy in Hawai‘i: Codes, Tools and Incentives,” with the Hawai‘i State Energy Office
“Stakeholder-Driven Resilience Planning in Honolulu’s Ala Wai Watershed,” with Hawai‘i Green Growth

Each workshop kicks off with a presentation, followed by smaller breakout sessions facilitated by an individual from the presenting organization to allow for greater participation and real community involvement. These workshops, including the breakout sessions, will be documented and made available for download by any member of the public from the website after the conclusion of 2018 Design Symposium.

On Nov. 15, Angela Brooks of Brooks + Scarpa Architects, an internationally renowned architectural consultant on design and sustainability, will kick off a breakfast keynote at 8 a.m.