On the most isolated archipelago on the planet, it’s easy to assume that life in Hawai‘i is far removed from the rest of the world. But as agricultural lands shrink, traffic congestion intensifies, beaches recede and the cost of living continues to rise, it is becoming increasingly clear that Hawai‘i’s growing pains reflect much larger planetary issues. Sean Connelly, an O‘ahu-born architect, urban designer and visual artist, takes these problems seriously and believes that traditional Hawaiian resource management systems can help to solve them. Over the past several years, much of his art and research has revolved around land use in Hawai‘i. The result is an ambitious conceptual plan for reorienting Hawai‘i’s urban development around streams through a modern-day ahupua‘a system. Summit sat down with Connelly to learn more about his vision for a uniquely island urbanism.
