Kanu o ka Aina Learning Ohana | Flansburgh Architects

Kanu o ka 'Aina Learning ʻOhana | Halau Poki’i & Halau Puke

New Academic Facilities | Waimea, Hawaii

Established by Kanu o ka ‘Āina Learning ‘Ohana (KALO), the Kanu o ka ‘Āina New Century Public Charter School is a Hawaiian-focused, bi-lingual public charter school serving 220 students in grades K-12. The new classroom buildings designed by Flansburgh for the school appear both ancient and contemporary, exemplifying the school’s mission to provide a 21st-century education steeped in native Hawaiian language and culture. When viewed together, the buildings appear curvilinear, a nod to traditional Hawaiian architecture.

The 9,100-sf Hālau Poki’i, home to preschool classrooms through grade 5, and the 6,200-sf Hālau Puke, a native library for school and community use, are organized around a large, round pico (center in Hawaiian) and share a modular design that accommodates multiple classroom configurations to support varying class sizes and teaching models.

Classroom with clustered seats and open entrance to the left looking out to field

Classroom with long nested tables with open doors looking out at field

Classroom with red wall to the right and modular desks clustered together

View of exterior corridor with natural wood posts connecting to awning

Exterior view of building at dusk with yellow and orange light peaking through windows

Students sat in exterior corridor examining rocks

Closeup of slats on top left of building

Project Information

Time Span 2008–2010

Type New Academic Facilities

Client Kanu o ka 'Āina Learning ʻOhana

Size 15,300 square feet

Cost $6.9 million

Design Team David Croteau, Principal-in-Charge; Joseph Marshall, Project Architect

Consultants Walter Vorfeld & Associates (Structural Engineer); KN Consulting Services (Civil Engineer); Moss Engineering (Electrical Engineer); Hakalau Engineering (Mechanical Engineer); Ki Concepts (Landscape Architect); CostPro (Cost Estimator); LAB [3.2] Architecture (Interior Architect)

General Contractor Quality Builders

Photographer Matthew Millman

Awards AIA Honolulu Award of Merit (2013)

BSA Educational Facilities Design Award (2013)

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View at night of School from field below with mountains behind and horse grazing in front

Kanu o ka 'Aina Learning ʻOhana | Halau Poki’i & Halau Puke

New Academic Facilities | Waimea, Hawaii

Established by Kanu o ka ‘Āina Learning ‘Ohana (KALO), the Kanu o ka ‘Āina New Century Public Charter School is a Hawaiian-focused, bi-lingual public charter school serving 220 students in grades K-12. The new classroom buildings designed by Flansburgh for the school appear both ancient and contemporary, exemplifying the school’s mission to provide a 21st-century education steeped in native Hawaiian language and culture. When viewed together, the buildings appear curvilinear, a nod to traditional Hawaiian architecture.

View of School from field below with mountains in sunset behind

Time Span	2008–2012
Type	New Academic Facilities
Client	Kanu o ka 'Āina Learning ʻOhana
Size	15,300 square feet
Cost	$6.9 million
Design Team	David Croteau, Principal-in-Charge; Joseph Marshall, Project Architect
Consultants	Walter Vorfeld & Associates (Structural Engineer); KN Consulting Services (Civil Engineer); Moss Engineering (Electrical Engineer); Hakalau Engineering (Mechanical Engineer); Ki Concepts (Landscape Architect); CostPro (Cost Estimator); LAB [3.2] Architecture (Interior Architect)
General Contractor	Quality Builders
Photographer	Matthew Millman
Awards	AIA Honolulu Award of Merit (2013) BSA Educational Facilities Design Award (2013)