This family retreat on Hawaii’s Big Island takes the form of several canopy-like pavilions dispersed around the site, linked by elevated wooden lanais and a series of gardens. The home takes a position at the ecotone line between the heavily landscaped area, and the expansive ocean views which stretch to Haleakalā volcano on nearby Maui. The home’s name, Hale Lana, translates to “floating home” – the client called it this because a key design goal was a high degree of transparency between inside and outside.

Cantilevered double-pitch roofs in the Big Island style create deep canopies that encircle the buildings and their lanais, allowing the pavilions to open completely to ocean breezes while protecting from solar gain. These canopies combined with a high degree of glazing throughout create the sense that the architecture is floating over the landscape. Operable shutter screens let the family tune each building to changing environmental conditions, adjusting to the desired degree of sun, air and privacy. At Hale Lana, there is almost a nonexistent line between inside and outside, allowing the family to feel integrated with the Hawaiian climate and landscape.