Design Strategies for Agricultural Intervention in Urban Honolulu - Case Study: Kalihi Mayor Wright Housing

Abstract

Global population growth, rapid urbanization, and accelerated climate change are presenting challenges for future food production. Hawai’i's heavy dependence on food imports and geographic isolation makes us vulnerable to a natural disaster. This dissertation discusses the emerging need for agricultural interventions within urban Honolulu by examining the issues of food insecurity, urban population growth, and limited available land in an urban environment. Urban agriculture is also the lens through which broader interdisciplinary themes such as urban design, biophilia, social equality, and socio-environmentalism are analyzed. This dissertation aims to present a design framework to explore the potential future of agricultural production within Urban Honolulu. This framework will highlight design strategies needed for urban agriculture intervention at three different scales – unit scale, block scale, and neighborhood scale. The design strategies will be tested in a proof of concept for a reimagined Kalihi focusing on agricultural production. Ultimately, this dissertation argues that the act of growing food in urban areas can transform our approach to urban development and enable people to become self-sufficient by using urban and architectural design as teaching tools about food. The guidelines and design will provide future designers, architects, and city planners with ideas for a conceptual approach to develop future agriculture-focused hybrid spaces in Hawai'i.