The home is built to rest gently in the landscape but also to last for generations. “We execute enduring architecture—in the sense of material quality but also livability,” Warner says. “We have high hopes for the legacy of this project.” Traditional Hawaiian villages, typically organized in loose clusters, inspired both the 1.5-acre site plan and the architectural style. The composition of canted steel columns, steep-pitched roofs, and rhomboidal window and door openings “represent a contemporary interpretation of early Hawaiian hale shelters,” Warner says. “They’re like modernist lean-tos.” Total interior space encompasses approximately 4,800 square feet.
The compound is surrounded by a field of lava and native grasses. The main living pod is pushed to the edge of the sea, while the supporting structures, containing the two guest suites and communal relaxation areas, are set back, deeper in the property. Guest suite bedrooms open onto concrete-walled private courts for additional seclusion. The arrangement assumes that the three-bedroom residence feels expansive and takes advantage of the views. The structures housing the master suite and the main living areas are located on the site’s ocean side.
Set back deeper in the property are pods containing the two guest suites and communal relaxation areas. Bedrooms open onto concrete-walled private courts for additional seclusion. Interiors encompass approximately 4,800 square feet, but the arrangement makes the three-bedroom residence feel expansive. The use of heavily mortared lava rock was inspired by the historic Mokuaikaua Church, located in nearby Kailua. Windows are framed in stained sapele mahogany. Western red cedar serves as the dominant wood—both for cladding and the roof shingles—since it resists heat, moisture, and insects. Inside, stained and lightly polished concrete flooring keeps things cool during the day. Inside spaces flow seamlessly to outside. Sapele-framed sliders glide open to the elements, and operable windows swivel to coax in the breeze and encourage cross ventilation.
A koi pond is the focal point of the courtyard between the main living and master suite pods. The scheme is no-frills, simple, and airy, with a midcentury vibe that Philpotts-Miller explains was inspired by the work of Hawaiian modernist Vladimir Ossipoff. The master bedroom is likewise grounded with earthy, timber-toned accents—whitewashed wood wall paneling, a walnut bench—and also lifted via a sky-blue rug and throw pillows. The master bedroom’s bench is walnut. Concrete walls and cedar slats enclose the custom cast-concrete tub standing in the courtyard off the master bathroom. Flooring in the master bathroom and throughout is polished, stained concrete. A niche in the master bedroom features a chair by Naoto Fukasawa. The master suite’s study culminates in a sitting area with a Charles and Ray Eames lounger offering Maui views.
Project name: Makani Eka Residence
Architects: Walker Warner Architects – https://www.walkerwarner.com/
Location: Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, United States
Area: 4800 ft²
Year: 2017
Photographer: Matthew Millman – https://www.matthewmillman.com/
Lead Architect: Greg Warner
MEP Engineer: Mark Morrison & Associates
Civil Engineer: Kona Wai Engineering
Structural Engineer: Hayes Structural Design
Lighting Consultant: Lighting & Engineering Integrated Inc
General Contractor: Oakes Management
Interior Design: Philpotts Interiors
Senior Project Manager: David Shutt
Architect Of Record: Walker Warner Architects
Project Team: Rob Campodonico, Anja Hämäläinen, Boyce Postma, Rina Wiedenhoeft
Construction Contract Administration: David Shutt Architecture
Landscape Architect: David Y. Tamura
Wall Board: Arc Wood & Timbers
Cabinetry & Millwork: Na Kalai La’au Woodshop
Landscape Architect: David Y. Tamura
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