Check out the winning student projects from the 2021 AIA Honolulu Design Awards

The 2021 AIA Honolulu Design Awards award recipients have been announced, recognizing exceptional built and unbuilt projects from both students and professionals. 

The Student Award of Excellence was given to My Tran for “Kaiwi Floating City,” an innovative modular floating city concept designed to address climate change and sea-level rise. 

“I hope this project will trigger new ideas about future cities,” said Tran in a video about his winning design.

Four other University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa School of Architecture student projects were also recognized for design excellence. They go as follows:

• Student Honorable Mention + People’s Choice Student Award: “Tomato Tomorrow” by Taylee Kelly, Riza Lara, Thanh Nguyen, Haixin Ruan, Joy Edades and Jacy Yatsu, faculty Bundit Kanisthakhon
• Student Honorable Mention: “Immersive Workplace” by Moises Lio Can, Zaw Latt, Yaning Zhang and Ming Xu, faculty Clark Llewellyn
• Student Honorable Mention: “Hale Konuwaena” by Kaimana Tuazon, faculty Cathi Ho Schar
• Student Honorable Mention: “Hui o Leahi” by Desiree Joy Malabed, faculty Ariel Dungca

“The projects that are being featured have been developed in the design studios at the School of Architecture, which are at the core of all of our programs,” said Karla Sierralta, an associate professor in the School of Architecture and director of undergraduate studies. “In the design studio, students work alongside faculty to creatively develop projects that address current and critical issues related to architecture and the built environments. These awards are a great metric for both successful teaching and student learning.”

The remaining winners of the 63rd annual AIA Honolulu Design Awards can be seen on AIA Honolulu’s website here.