Architectural works of art in Puna

[pbmaise]

#9 The Breezeway Home

There is a home just one road up from the ocean in Hawaiian Beaches that makes my list.

The architect has balanced the home left and right of a high central breezeway.

Materials are wooden, however I do not recall local Ohia for certain.

Architect and builder unknown.

[shockwave rider]

quote:

---

Originally posted by pbmaise

Homes off my personal list

It is hard not to notice the Castle of Seaview Estates, and the Justin Hilton homes.

Hilton built 4 homes across from Kehena Beach, and about 5 more around Puna.

Both builders worked very hard on their homes. However, largely they were pounding square pegs into round holes.

The extremely tall Hilton home in Seaview is more like a multi-story flat. Like the Castle Home you walk away with questioning why it is here.

The Hilton's single story home that is along side the tall one in Seaview with was his best work. It has a strong triangular shape.

---

I know people who stayed in the wedge house and said it was incredibly impractical and awkward to live in, even for just a week. They are big fans of modern architecture, which is why they chose that house to rent, but they came away thinking that function was totally trumped by form in this case.

[Kapohocat]

quote:

---

Originally posted by pbmaise

Kapohocat
Yes Steely works are much like the most influential architect in the modern world. Few, outside of Chicago and architectural school know how Chicago owing to Wright and much more importantly Mies was the birthplace of modern architecture.

Tricky's home qualifies in my book to be on this Puna list owing to the incorporation of the lava flow as a central feature of the home.
Other Steely homes in Puna have not done this as well. Steely did not have a lot backing against the flow for the other homes to work with.

So indeed yes, to you and me, we think Farnsworth when we see his works.

Another element in favor of the Tricky home is construction with some local material. Although, I would have to point some out. The patio floor isn't tile. It is sliced lava rock. More noticeable are his stairs that are local wood.

Finally the Tricky home has a breezeway that separates his music room from his formal living room. I term that room the music room owing to it having a piano.

---

I have followed many architects design since I was in college. I am fond of Mies, but not Wright so much. I had a friend who was in that inner circle at the time, and the stories..... Anyway, I do grow out of my ultra modern phase but still like Mies.

I do like architects like the Greene and Greene brothers but you cant get that kind of sized lumber any more that they were partial too. Also that degree of craftsmanship is pretty unaffordable to most these days. I think when the Gamble house was built in 1908 it cost $19,000, and labor & materials were cheap. Although this translates dollar-wise into roughly $475K today, that house could not be built for $475K. I would estimate more than a million.

I am more craftsman style than modern but can really appreciate the modern. I dont know how a G&G design would do here if not built with native woods.

It is rumored that there is Wright house in Hilo but have not been able to ever find it so dont know if it was just designed, or actually built.

[pbmaise]

lavalava I tried looking online to see. Do tell.

[shockwave rider]

"It is rumored that there is Wright house in Hilo but have not been able to ever find it so dont know if it was just designed, or actually built."

There is a large brown house on the mauka side of the main drag in Keaukaha not too far down from the Seaside that certainly looks Wright inspired, although it may have been designed by one of his former disciples instead of Wright. I know there are a number of houses in Portland, Eugene, and Seattle that were all designed by the same guy who started his career working with Wright that look very similar to that house. Most of them had issues with the flat roofs in a rainy climate combined with experimental roofing materials that resulted in leaks though.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

shockwave rider-
Is this the house you're thinking of?
http://www.vrbo.com/108255

There's also The King Kamehameha Golf Club on Maui:
http://www.kamehamehagolf.com/frank-lloyd-wright.php

[shockwave rider]

quote:

---

Originally posted by HereOnThePrimalEdge

shockwave rider-
Is this the house you're thinking of?
http://www.vrbo.com/108255

There's also The King Kamehameha Golf Club on Maui:
http://www.kamehamehagolf.com/frank-lloyd-wright.php

---

No, it is in Keaukaha in Hilo, it has that classic early Wright/early 20th century look, with flat roofs, lots of emphasis on horizontal lines and stacks of windows on the corners. It used to be empty for years, but looked like someone was doind some extensive yard work last time I drove by there about a week ago. If you put 165 Lokoako St. Hilo into google street view you get a pretty good view of it, it is on a corner so you can see 2 sides.

[pbmaise]

While off topic for the Punaformum, I believe I have been inside the "Wright" home in question.
If this is your home, I apologize my memory is not perfect.

If it is indeed a Wright student, he failed to understand the purpose of a constricted low Wrightarian entrance was to motivate guests to quickly move inward so the door could be closed.

So yes, it does feature the entry even thou not necessary. Long horizontal lines also lead to speculation.

The home is on the right side of the street about 1/2 mile upslope of KTA. There is a small stream running in a perfectly landscaped backyard. Wood Wood and more wood.

From the entrance a low dark narrow hall leads deep into the home. The kitchen left and closets right. The hall leads to the main room with the panoramic view of Mauna Kea. When draped in snow, the view must be stunning.


I think wood was all aged redwood. The wood walls on the hallway's right, matches. However, I think they were an afterthought requested by the owner.

The overall result is not wanting to traverse the hallway and an alienated kitchen.

A lack of storage spaces has been a common complaints in Wright designs, so these may be an additional clue as to influenced design.


The kitchen was set perfect with West sun and view of Mauna Loa. Albeit the neighbors home is more prominent. BTW. Yes to East facing tiny breakfast rooms, no to East facing kitchens.

I do not recall exactly what the claim was regarding the architect. However, it wasn't Wright. That I would have recalled.

[shockwave rider]

quote:

---

Originally posted by pbmaise

While off topic for the Punaformum, I believe I have been inside the "Wright" home in question.
If this is your home, I apologize my memory is not perfect.

If it is indeed a Wright student, he failed to understand the purpose of a constricted low Wrightarian entrance was to motivate guests to quickly move inward so the door could be closed.

So yes, it does feature the entry even thou not necessary. Long horizontal lines also lead to speculation.

The home is on the right side of the street about 1/2 mile upslope of KTA. There is a small stream running in a perfectly landscaped backyard. Wood Wood and more wood.

From the entrance a low dark narrow hall leads kitchen left to the main room with the panoramic view. I think this was all aged redwood. The hallway to the right is lined with closed storage closets and, while the wood matches, I think they were an afterthought requested by the owner.

The overall result is not wanting to traverse the hallway and an alienated kitchen.


The kitchen was set perfect with West sun. Yes to East facing tiny breakfast rooms, no to East facing kitchens.

I do not recall exactly what the claim was regarding the architect. However, it wasn't Wright. That I would have recalled.

---

It is not near KTA, it is in Keaukaha at the corner of Kalanianaole and Lokoaka St. right across from one of the ocean access parking lots.

[Kapohocat]

quote:

---

Originally posted by HereOnThePrimalEdge

shockwave rider-
Is this the house you're thinking of?
http://www.vrbo.com/108255

---

Thanks for that! Really love seeing these!