Location & Venue

The context of Hawaii aligns with the conference’s core themes of tropical architecture, resilience, and sustainability. Hawaii embodies the challenges and opportunities faced by tropical regions worldwide. The architectural landscape is a living laboratory of tropical modernism, where innovative design strategies-such as natural ventilation, shading, and the integration of local materials-have been developed in response to the unique climatic and cultural conditions of the islands. This setting not only provides direct access to exemplary case studies and site visits but also immerses participants in a context where the interplay between tradition, innovation, and sustainability can be experienced firsthand. Hosting the conference in Hawaii offers attendees a unique opportunity to engage with the living heritage and ongoing evolution of tropical architecture. 

The conference will be held at the SHADE Institute in Honolulu.  SHADE Institute is Hawai‘i's first public interest design organization. Launched in 2015, the Institute's mission is to provide community-based planning and design to underserved communities and other nonprofit organizations. It accomplishes this through an annual fellowship program that offers intern training and professional mentorship.