{"id":213171,"date":"2025-04-02T15:59:55","date_gmt":"2025-04-03T01:59:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=213171"},"modified":"2025-04-03T18:06:51","modified_gmt":"2025-04-04T04:06:51","slug":"hill-hawaii-woodshow-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/04\/02\/hill-hawaii-woodshow-award\/","title":{"rendered":"Sustainable table design earns architecture instructor woodshow award"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"hill
Steven Hill’s award-winning dining table. (Photo credit: Brad Goda)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A simple dinner disrupted by flowers sparked an innovative design\u2014a dining table that adapts to its surroundings. This idea led Steven Hill, 3D<\/abbr> Lab director at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa\u2019s School of Architecture<\/a>, to win the 2024 Lāʻau<\/span> Pono Award at Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s Woodshow<\/a>. Sponsored by the Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Forest Industry Association, the award honors artists who creatively and responsibly use Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>-grown woods, blending sustainability with design and craftsmanship.<\/p>\n

It is always a great opportunity for the students to get creative while they are also learning about the rich materials that Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s forests provide.
—Steven Hill<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“The idea came from a simple dinner with my wife, where I realized that the flowers on the table were coming between us,” Hill said. “That moment sparked the question\u2014what if a table could adapt to its surroundings rather than just be a static piece of furniture?”<\/p>\n

Hill named his design “Baby, You\u2019re My Centerpiece,” resulting in a beautifully crafted red eucalyptus table with a recessed, hand-blown glass vase set in a wave-textured medallion carved with a computer controlled router. <\/p>\n

“The table is designed to be part of the meal,” Hill explained. “I wanted to create something that was not only beautiful but also functional and interactive. This table invites people to engage with it, whether by switching out the vase, using the koa cover, or adding a wine carafe.”<\/p>\n

The red eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis<\/em>) originates from Tantalus, and was planted in the 19th century as part of a reforestation effort by King David Kal\u0101kaua. The table\u2019s koa elements, sourced from a fallen tree in South Kona, add further layers of history and craftsmanship.<\/p>\n

\"Steven
Steven Hill working with students in the furniture design course.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mentoring future designers<\/h2>\n

At the 3D<\/abbr> Lab, Hill guides students in digital fabrication and hands-on building, promoting sustainability in the real-world design. He supports the Innovation+Imagination Student Challenge, encouraging students to explore locally sourced wood for creative projects. Hill sees furniture design as an important exercise in architectural thinking, urging students to consider form, function and sustainability. <\/p>\n

“It is always a great opportunity for the students to get creative while they are also learning about the rich materials that Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s forests provide,” said Hill.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Steven Hill\u2019s sustainable and innovative dining table wins the 2024 Lāʻau<\/span> Pono Award.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[239,698,73,9],"class_list":["post-213171","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-school-of-architecture","tag-staff-recognition","tag-sustainability","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t