A Design Methodology for Early Education Facility Prototypes in Hawai‘i.

Abstract

Hawai‘i does not have a state-funded preschool program and the cost of private preschools makes early education a less viable option.1 If the state of Hawai‘i were to set up a state-funded preschool program, a set of design guidelines would be needed to ensure that each facility provides optimal learning experiences for students and supports the needs of the parents and community. The purpose of this dissertation is to create a design methodology and design guidelines for early education facilities in Hawai‘i supplemented by an evaluation process. The goal is to design quality educational facilities for Hawai‘i’s communities that incorporate Hawaiian culture into the design. Three prototype facility designs were explored to demonstrate the methodology and evaluation process and one was developed further in order to show the process through the final design phase.2 This dissertation assesses whether this process can be beneficial for communities in Hawai‘i and discusses related challenges.