Kekelaokalani Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Campus

The Kekelaokalani Building at Kamehameha Elementary School’s Kapālama Campus has been renovated into a state-of-the-art Learning Center by Ferraro Choi. The second floor features offices, conference rooms, and staff support spaces, while the third floor houses the heart of the Learning Center with flexible teaching spaces, collaboration areas, an innovation lab, a maker space, and a media center.

Ferraro Choi designed the Learning Center with a strong connection to Native Hawaiian culture and identity, rooted in the Kapālama ahupua‘a. The design draws inspiration from the traditional Hawaiian technological innovation of the loko i‘a and the murmuring waters of Pu‘uhale as described in ‘Ōlelo No‘eau #1732.

The third floor of the Learning Center features a gathering place within the loko i‘a and is designed with flexibility in mind. Connections between the second and third floors are represented by the mākāhā (gates) that connect the ocean to the fishponds. The design includes organic grass mounds, playful reading nooks, movable storage, writable surfaces, and flexible furniture to support diverse learning environments for both teachers and students. The Learning Center is equipped with modern technology such as projection screens, TV monitors, 3D printers, laser cutters, and ample data and power to support new and innovative technology.