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AIA Centennial Club News! |
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Welcome to the JULY EDITION of our CENTENNIAL CLUB NEWS!
Your update on special events, iconic landmarks and member spotlights. Celebrating 100 years of our shared legacy. |
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Designing America: Public Architects Reflect at 250 |
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In recognition of the United States’ 250th anniversary, we invited AIA Hawaii members in federal and state government service to share their insights on the past, present, and future of public architecture. |
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Blueprints of a Nation: Shaping the Public Realms |
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From iconic landmarks that inspire to the unique rewards of public service and the challenges that lie ahead, their reflections offer a glimpse into the impact of architecture in shaping our nation and communities for generations to come. |
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Adam K. Ching, AIA | Member since 2003
Supervisory Architect, NAVFAC Pacific Planning, Design & Construction |
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As America celebrates its 250th birthday, what historic federal building, monument, or public space inspires you most, and why? The Vietnam Veterans Memorial by Maya Lin inspires me most. I recall walking along the black granite wall, city noises fading into a deep deliberate quiet. Its power was in the simplicity, no ornament, just names and reflection. That moment showed me the impact architecture can have, and it’s why I became an architect. |
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David B. Kaahaaina, AIA | Member since 1987 Chief, Technical Integration Group, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
As America celebrates its 250th birthday, what historic federal building, monument or public space inspires you most, and why? L’Enfant’s plan for DC is masterful, but my favorite federal building is the former Pension Bureau building by Meigs, now the National Building Museum. It inspires not just for its hybrid Renaissance revival style, but for its massive interior public space used by AIA for black tie awards events, including one I attended where inspirational servant architect firm Rural Studio/Sam Mockbee received their award. |
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What drew you to architecture in federal services rather than private practice? Government service is a natural outgrowth of private practice – taking lessons learned and applying them to the common good. As a DOW civilian this is even more mission-important given these uncertain times. I’m also a legacy USACE architect- my father completed US Army Engineer School back in 1959 and he only had to wait 60 years for me to catch up to his public service investment 😊 |
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What challenge do you think will most shape federal architecture over the next century? Two challenges: austerity and vision. AI is often used to incent economy and efficiency but architects are called to be both subjective and objective in our practice – structures like the Marine Corps Museum (Fentress, ’06), Sandra Day O'Connor United States Courthouse (Meier, ’00), and our Arizona Memorial (Preis, ’62) epitomize the marriage of form, function and investment that AI can assist with and we should aspire to. |
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Douglas M. Kurth, AIA | Member since 1994
Architect, NAVFAC Pacific Planning, Design & Construction |
As America celebrates its 250th birthday, what historic federal building, monument or public space inspires you most, and why? I’m inspired by the Library of Congress (Smithmeyer and Pelz) in Washington, DC. I spent a semester of college studying in Washington, and I spent some time doing research there. The sequence of spaces leading to the great reading room, and the reading room itself were incredibly inspiring. I’m reminded of the scene in the movie All the President’s Men where Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman are searching records in the reading room and the frame moves slowly outward from their desk to the great expanse of the space. It’s also inspiring that anyone can do research there. |
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What drew you to architecture in federal services rather than private practice? I studied architecture on a Navy scholarship, and I always wanted to use my degree for the benefit of the Government that funded my education. It took a while to get there, because I owed the Navy at least five years of active duty service after graduation. I spent most of those years in the Surface Navy aboard a destroyer, where I didn’t get to use my degree - except for a project to redesign the ship’s wardroom. After a successful deployment to the Middle East during Operation Desert Storm, I became eligible to transfer to the Navy Civil Engineer Corp, which brought me to Hawaii to work in construction admin. |
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I ended up completing almost 9 years of active duty before transferring to the Navy Reserve and getting a job at AM Partners, Inc. in downtown Honolulu. I spent about five years there before getting a federal job at NAVFAC Pacific, where I’ve been ever since – except for three activations by the Navy Reserve in the years following the September 11th attacks. The last activation brought me back to the Middle East during Operation Iraqi Freedom, where I served as the Facilities Director for the Marine Expeditionary Force. I was actually able to work on several design projects during that deployment. I retired from the Navy Reserve after that deployment, and have had the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects at NAVFAC Pacific, including medical facilities, schools, family housing, office buildings, fitness centers, post offices, courthouses, and operational facilities. |
What challenge do you think will most shape federal architecture over the next century? I think the biggest challenge to federal architecture is the method by which its funded. The planning, programming and budgeting process is affected both by its bureaucracy and by political influences that can make it a challenging and lengthy process. It’s not all bad, though, as these forces usually require the process to be quite deliberate, with consideration given to many stakeholders, rather than impulsive. |
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Joette P. Yago, AIA | Member since 2009
Architect V, Dep. of Design & Construction, City and County of Honolulu |
As America celebrates its 250th birthday, what historic federal building, monument or public space inspires you most, and why? I would say the Jefferson Memorial (John Russell Pope) in DC would be my inspirational selection because of its placement among cherry trees, near the water, and its views of other DC landmarks. The last time I visited it, I went at sunset and the light was amazing among the columns! |
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What drew you to architecture in government services rather than private practice?
Being a civil servant, I get great job satisfaction knowing that I am helping to produce buildings and spaces for the public to utilize.
Yes, they aren’t the most glamorous, but knowing it will continually be in use (fire stations, police stations, beach parks, gyms) and contributes to our general society. |
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What challenge do you think will most shape federal architecture over the next century? Sustainable design that respects the locality is what I think is the most challenging. It looks as if cookie cutter designs are prevalent currently. Architects need to be more judicious when designing. |
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In honor of Independence Day, we are highlighting two remarkable Hawaiʻi landmarks that reflect the power of architecture to shape our collective experience. Though serving very different purposes, Charles Dickey's Volcano House and Alfred Preis's USS Arizona Memorial each embody a deep connection to place, history, and identity.
Together, they demonstrate how thoughtful design can inspire,
commemorate, and endure across generations. |
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Two Hawaiʻi Landmarks | Two Enduring Architectural Stories |
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Volcano House (1941)
Architect: Charles W. Dickey, FAIA |
Long before ‘site-sensitive design' became a common architectural principle, Dickey's Volcano House demonstrated how a building could defer to and celebrate its natural setting. |
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Perched on the rim of Kīlauea Caldera, the current Volcano House opened in 1941 following the loss of the previous Victorian-era hotel to fire. |
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Designed by renowned Hawaiʻi architect Charles W. Dickey, it exemplifies architecture that responds to place—embracing the dramatic volcanic landscape rather than competing with it.
Large picture windows frame sweeping views of Halemaʻumaʻu Crater, transform the surrounding environment into a living architectural feature. |
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Fun Facts: Dickey designed the hotel to orient guests toward the volcano, making the landscape the focal point of the experience. The building is an important example of Hawaiʻi regional architecture that balances visitor comfort with a profound sense of place. The 1941 structure remains one of the most iconic National Park lodges in the United States.
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USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor (Dedicated 1962)
Architect: Alfred Preis, FAIA |
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Few structures better demonstrate architecture's ability to tell a story. With a single gesture of form, it transformed concrete and steel into a national symbol of remembrance, resilience, and hope. |
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Honolulu architect Alfred Preis, an Austrian-born designer who had been interned on Sand Island early in the war, produced the winning concept and created one of America's most recognizable memorials. |
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Floating above the remains of the USS Arizona without touching the ship itself, the memorial was designed as both an architectural structure and a symbolic journey of remembrance.
Preis famously described the memorial's distinctive silhouette as expressing "initial defeat and ultimate victory"—the structure dips in the center and rises at each end, symbolizing America's path through World War II. |
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Fun Facts: The Navy required the memorial to span the wreck without touching it—a challenging engineering and design constraint. The structure demonstrates how architecture can convey meaning through form rather than ornament. More than six decades after its dedication, it remains one of the most visited memorials in the United States and a powerful example of architecture's role in collective memory.
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Centennial Socks Competition |
Answer the Question Below to Enter the Drawing |
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What percentage of AIA Hawaii members serve in governmentEmail us your answers.
A. 5%
B. 8%
C. 12% |
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68th AIA Honolulu Design Awards Gala
Friday July 24 | 5:30-9pm | Hawaii Theatre | $100 General | $35 Student |
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Join us at 5:30 PM for an evening of cocktails, delicious pupus, and lively conversation with friends and colleagues.
The evening continues with our inspiring Awards Program, where we celebrate the AIA Honolulu 2026 Award winners.
Where: The Hawaii Theatre
Dress Code: Cocktail Attire |
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Exclusive AIA Centennial merchandise available!
Our socks, pins, and limited-edition polos are ready for pick-up. |
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The AIA Hawai'i Centennial Club represents an extraordinary community of supporters who recognize the value of architecture in every part of life — from our urban places to our rural communities, from innovation in practice to mentorship of future professionals. Mahalo nui loa for your support. |
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