DOCOMOMO Hawaii

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DOCOMOMO Hawaii

Docomomo US/Hawaii Chapter is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of Modern architecture in the Pacific Islands.

Docomomo US/Hawaii Chapter is comprised of members of key local architectural, design, preservation and museum professionals from the private and public sectors. The Hawaii chapter aims to promote public education on Modernism in the islands by cataloguing, preserving, restoring and renovating Hawaii's unique modern architecture and public art; identifying aspects of the modern movement that are a

pplicable to Hawaii's environment and culture; conducting an oral history project among senior Hawaii architects and developers of our modern environments; and building a model Docomomo chapter that also has a lot of fun.

03/13/2026

Are you a current Docomomo HI member? Check your inboxes for our latest newsletter!! We’ve just sent a link to an exclusive, members-only home tour of Stephen Oyakawa’s Choy Residence.

Not a member? Sign up now and email us with your membership number and we’ll share the link.

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The Choy Residence (1956) was the first residence designed by Kahaluu born Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice (1944-59) Stephen Oyakawa in Hawai‘i. This incredible, and nearly original midcentury home, is a State of Hawaii Historic Property and prime example of the type of Modern architecture happening here on the islands at that time. Experience this house for yourself with a guided tour and overview of Oyakawa’s work by architect, and Docomomo HI board member, Tonia Moy.

Stephen Oyakawa would later design many other residences as well as the Aiea, Liliha, and Lihue Libraries, and the Hale Aloha dormitories at UH. Come see the influence of Wright, Hawai’i and the East-meets-West architecture of the time.

02/21/2026

Our Docophoto event today has been cancelled due to the flash flood warning in the area. We will postponing till further notice.

Stay dry everyone!!

02/17/2026

Docophoto: Erica Karawina Stained Glass | Saturday | 02.21.26

10:00am: Wesley Methodist Church | 1350 Hunakai St
10:45am: Diamond Head Memorial Park | 529 18th Ave
11:30am: Epiphany Church | 1041 10th Ave

Erica Karawina was the foremost stained glass artist working in Hawaii from the 1960s through the turn of the century. She broke with more traditional methods of making stained glass and created unique designs of faceted glass using the dalle de verre technique developed in France during the 1930s. After the war this technique spread to Great Britain and then to America. The form was popular during the 1960s and into the 1970s, but its use tapered off, and today it is difficult to purchase the glass necessary to make such pieces. Her stunning, abstract designs complemented the modern style buildings they adorned, and provided the structures with non-derivative, ornamentation suitable to the sensibilities of the period. She executed over eighteen major commissions in Hawaii, and over the course of the next half year we will endeavor to explore many of them.

This event is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. Transportation is not provided and carpooling is suggested, as parking is limited at each site. Please be prompt and considerate as there are multiple events happening a the various campuses. Wait for representatives of Docomomo to show up before entering any of the buildings.

Rendering courtesy of .design (formerly Lemmon, Freeth, Haines and Jones Architects. Wesley Methodist Church, 1963)

02/02/2026

Docophoto: Erica Karawina Stained Glass | Saturday | 02.21.26 @ 10:00am

10:00am: Wesley Methodist Church | 1350 Hunakai St
10:45am: Diamond Head Memorial Park | 529 18th Ave
11:30am: Epiphany Church | 1041 10th Ave

Erica Karawina was the foremost stained glass artist working in Hawaii from the 1960s through the turn of the century. She broke with more traditional methods of making stained glass and created unique designs of faceted glass using the dalle de verre technique developed in France during the 1930s. After the war this technique spread to Great Britain and then to America. The form was popular during the 1960s and into the 1970s, but its use tapered off, and today it is difficult to purchase the glass necessary to make such pieces. Her stunning, abstract designs complemented the modern style buildings they adorned, and provided the structures with non-derivative, ornamentation suitable to the sensibilities of the period. She executed over eighteen major commissions in Hawaii, and over the course of the next half year we will endeavor to explore many of them.

Transportation is not provided and carpooling is suggested, as parking is limited at each site. Please be prompt and considerate as there are multiple events happening a the various campuses. Wait for representatives of Docomomo to show up before entering any of the buildings.

11/30/2025

This Saturday!

Docomomo_HI Holiday Party | Saturday | 12.06.25 @ 6pm

Come party at the King Liberty Center, designed by in 1953. Located in the heart of , this midcentury gem has all of its “Mad Men” and “Miracle on 34th Street” hallmarks. The event will be hosted in the recently updated SHADE Institute event space. We’ll make sure the music is playing and the drinks are flowing.

General Admission: $105
Docomomo Members: $80
Link in bio

Full buffet and open bar (wine, beer and cocktails) included. DJ starts at 6pm.

11/21/2025

Link in bio.

2025 Docomomo_US_Hawai‘i Holiday Party | Saturday | 12.06.25 @ 6pm

Come party at the King Liberty Center, designed by Vladimir Ossipoff in 1953. Located in the heart of Chinatown, Honolulu, this midcentury gem has all of its Mad Men and Miracle on 34th Street hallmarks. The event will be hosted in the recently updated SHADE Institute event space. We’ll make sure the music is playing and the drinks are flowing.

11/15/2025

2025 Docomomo_US_Hawai‘i Holiday Party | Saturday | 12.06.25 @ 6pm

Come party at the King Liberty Center, designed by Vladimir Ossipoff in 1953. Located in the heart of Chinatown, Honolulu, this midcentury gem has all of its Mad Men and Miracle on 34th Street hallmarks. The event will be hosted in the recently updated SHADE Institute event space. We’ll make sure the music is playing and the drinks are flowing.

Link in bio.

Full buffet and open bar (wine, beer and cocktails) included. DJ starts at 6pm.

11/03/2025

We’ve added two more locations to the docophoto tour of Erica Karawina’s stained glass!

9:30am: The Robert Shipman Thurston Jr. Memorial Chapel | 1601 Punahou St

10:30am: The Manoa Valley Church | 2728 Huapala St

11:30am: St. Andrews’ Priory | 224 Queen Emma Square

Check the event on our website for more information.

This event is free and open to the public. No RSVP required

10/28/2025

Join Docomomo Hawaii on our first in a series of docophoto events look at the stained glass work of Erica Karawina. Erica Karawina was the foremost stained glass artist working in Hawaii from the 1960s through the turn of the century. Her stunning, abstract designs complemented the modern style buildings they adorned, and provided the structures with non-derivative, ornamentation suitable to the sensibilities of the period.

To start, we will be visiting the Robert Shipman Thurston Jr. Memorial Chapel on the campus of Punahou School, which was designed by Vladimir Ossipoff in 1967. The windows are one of a number of special features which make this building one of the most special mid-century modern ecclesiastical buildings in Hawaii.

When: Saturday, November 8, 2025 @ 9:30am
Where: Thurston Memorial Chapel, Punahou School, 1601 Punahou Street

This event is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. Subscribe to our newsletter for more information. Link in bio.

10/23/2025

Docophoto: Erica Karawina Stained Glass | 11.08.25 @ 9:30am

Docomomo Hawaii is kicking off the first in a series of docophoto events look at the stained glass work of Erica Karawina. Erica Karawina was the foremost stained glass artist working in Hawaii from the 1960s through the turn of the century. She broke with more traditional methods of making stained glass and created unique designs of faceted glass using the “dalle de verre” technique developed in France during the 1930s. After the war this technique spread to Great Britain and then to America. The form was popular during the 1960s and into the 1970s, but its use tapered off, and today it is difficult to purchase the glass necessary to make such pieces. Her stunning, abstract designs complemented the modern style buildings they adorned, and provided the structures with non-derivative, ornamentation suitable to the sensibilities of the period. She executed over eighteen major commissions in Hawaii, and over the course of the next half year we will endeavor to explore many of them.

To start the docophoto series we will be visiting the Robert Shipman Thurston Jr. Memorial Chapel on the campus of Punahou School, which was designed by Vladimir Ossipoff in 1967. The windows are one of a number of special features which make this building one of the most special mid-century modern ecclesiastical buildings in Hawaii.

When: Saturday, November 8, 2025 @ 9:30am
Where: Thurston Memorial Chapel, Punahou School, 1601 Punahou Street
Parking: Enter the campus from the main gate at the corner of Wilder and Punahou streets. Follow Chamberlain Drive around past the baseball field and park in Sullivan Parking lot, or wherever the security guard indicates. We will meet in front of Sullivan Hall, the school’s administration building, and then will be escorted up to the chapel.

This event is free and open to the public. No RSVP required

10/09/2025

2025 Walking Tour | Sacred Places of Wahiawa
Saturday | 10.11 @ 10am

Wahiawa, once the world’s pineapple industry hub, and later Hawai‘i’s second-largest city, is home to a host of houses of worship. Many of these can be found along California Avenue (a veritable “church row”). This year’s tour will stop by many of those along its densest stretch (because we can’t fit all of Wahiawa’s places of worship into a single day’s tour!). A surprising amount of Wahiawa’s development came after WWII, despite its early prominence, and these churches are distinctly products of that time.

Ticket purchase includes two tacos and one drink (beer, well drink or free refills on soft drinks) at Taqueria El Eancho in Wahiawa!

Photo by .design

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Honolulu, HI
96836

Website

http://teamup.com/ks1a80c331689368ea/

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