In October, PBR Hawai’i & Associates, Inc., the landscape architecture firm that designed the outdoor learning environments of the Sidney and Minnie Kosasa Community for Grades 2 – 5, won the Award of Excellence in General Design from the American Society of Landscape Architects Hawai’i Chapter by a unanimous vote of the jurors.
“The Kosasa Community is a shining example of how landscape architects can impact children’s lives at a young age through the thoughtful planning and design of outdoor learning environments,” noted PBR Hawai’i President and Principal Stan Duncan ’73. “We were inspired by Punahou’s administrators and faculty to set a precedent for a hands-on, 21st-century outdoor learning experience tailored to educating students in natural and physical science, sustainability and environmental stewardship. The integration of nature and landscape into the educational curriculum not only instills a deeper connection to nature at an early age, but may also affect the way future generations of children are raised through developing a passion and understanding of what it means to be good stewards of our environment.”
In May, Nordic PCL Construction, Inc. was recognized by the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties with the Kukulu Hale Sustainability Development Award from the Hawai’i chapter for their work on the first phase of the Kosasa Community. The project is registered as a LEED Platinum building and incorporates sustainable elements such as living walls in the stairwells, natural lighting and ventilation, and plexiglass floor troughs on the second-floor walkways.
“We are honored to have been a part of such a dynamic project ultimately centered around the advancement of students’ creativity and learning,” said Mike Betz, Nordic PCL Construction, Inc. district manager.
