Hart Wood: Architectural Regionalism in Hawaii

This lavishly illustrated book traces the life and work of Hart Wood (1880–1957), from his beginnings in architectural offices in Denver and San Francisco to his arrival in Hawaii in 1919 as a partner of C. W. Dickey and eventual solo career in the Islands. An outspoken leader in the development of a Hawaiian style of architecture, Wood incorporated local building traditions and materials in many of his projects and was the first in Hawaii to blend Eastern and Western architectural forms in a conscious manner. Enchanted by Hawaii’s vivid beauty and its benevolent climate, exotic flora, and cosmopolitan culture, Wood sought to capture the aura of the Islands in his architectural designs.

Hart Wood’s magnificent and graceful buildings remain critical to Hawaii’s architectural legacy more than fifty years after his death: the First Church of Christ Scientist on Punahou Street, the First Chinese Church on King Street, the S & G Gump Building on Kalakaua Avenue, the Honolulu Board of Water Supply Administration Building on Beretania Street, and the Alexander & Baldwin Building on Bishop Street, as well as numerous Wood residences throughout the city.

• Don J. Hibbard, Author

  Don J. Hibbard administered the State of Hawaii’s historic preservation program in 1981–2002 and now works as a heritage specialist. He has written several books on Hawaii architecture, including The View from Diamond Head and Designing Paradise.

• Glenn E. Mason, Author

  Glenn E. Mason, AIA, heads Mason Architects in Honolulu and has published several articles and essays on Hawaii’s historic architecture.

• Karen J. Weitze, Author

  Karen J. Weitze is an architectural historian living in California who has worked on historic preservation projects across the nation, including Hawaii. She is the author of California’s Mission Revival and primary contributor to The Arts and Crafts Movement in California: Living the Good Life.

• This is no mere coffee-table book: In addition to being a comprehensive biography of the man, Hart Wood: Architectural Regionalism in Hawai‘i offers in-depth analyses of the many influential buildings designed by Hart, and is packed with photography.
  —Honolulu Magazine