Hale Pi‘o – Hālau Kūkulu Hawai‘i

Built in the summer of 2024 in the storied ahupua‘a of Waipi‘o, along the Hāmākua coast of Hawai‘i, Hālau Kūkulu Hawai‘i is a collaborative project that brought together students, hale builders, cultural practitioners, architects, and artists to advance Native Hawaiian architecture. Organized by After Oceanic Built Environments Lab and Leong Leong Architecture, commissioned for the 2024 Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Triennale, and hosted by HŌ‘Ā at the Kūkulukumuhana Cultural Enrichment Camp, the project builds upon traditional hale construction adapted for contemporary applications. The primary structure, Hale Pi‘o (arched house), is secured entirely by cordage, without metal fasteners.

Crafted from old-growth redwood salvaged in Northern California, Hale Pi‘o incorporates a reciprocal frame structure—a self-supporting, scalable system in which each beam mutually supports the next. The architecture of Hale Pi‘o embodies the interdependent and reciprocal relationship between people and ʻāina (land/that which feeds). It calls for cultural resurgence, ecological stewardship, and political advocacy—an invitation to rethink and renew built environments across Hawai‘i Nei. Here, architectural innovation and building science thrive with tradition.

Hālau Kūkulu Hawai‘i stands as a living testament to resilience, creativity, and the unbreakable bond between community and ʻāina —a powerful example of Native resurgence in design. Hale Pi‘o exemplifies a collaborative approach to transforming architecture in Hawai‘i, one that uplifts cultural practices and strengthens grassroots networks of care for ʻāina.

This installation was made possible with support from the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum and Hawaiʻi Nonlinear 501(c)(3).