{"id":232231,"date":"2026-04-14T15:16:47","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T01:16:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=232231"},"modified":"2026-04-22T08:13:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T18:13:19","slug":"waikiki-flood-adaptation-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/14\/waikiki-flood-adaptation-award\/","title":{"rendered":"Waikīkī flood adaptation research earns international award"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> < 1<\/span> minute<\/span><\/span>
\"rendering\"
Waikīkī<\/span> adaptation rendering.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Visualizing a future where Waikīkī\u2019s<\/span> iconic landscape is redesigned<\/a> to survive rising tides has earned a University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at Mānoa<\/span> research team the 2026 Architectural Research Centers Consortium (ARCC<\/abbr>) Best Journal Article Award.<\/p>\n

The team leveraged scientific data, studies and community participation to create architectural renderings that visualize how Waikīkī\u2019s<\/span> built environment can be modified to accommodate future flooding.<\/p>\n

“By merging climate science with architectural design and integrating direct community feedback, we are creating forward-looking, actionable visions that will help coastal communities like Waikīkī<\/span> successfully adapt to the growing realities of sea-level rise,” said Wendy Meguro, principal investigator and associate professor.<\/p>\n

Selected for its “exceptional quality, methodological rigor, and relevance to the field,” the research<\/a> was honored in April at the 2026 ARCC<\/abbr>–EAAE<\/abbr> International Conference at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia.<\/p>\n

Engaging stakeholders<\/h2>\n

The research engaged more than 1,000 individuals, including residents, urban planners, government employees and local business owners. Presentations of these strategies have drawn hundreds of participants from recreation, hotel and restaurant industries. The findings are already being utilized by the City and County of Honolulu, the State of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> and the Honolulu Climate Change Commission to guide adaptation policies.<\/p>\n

“This recognition underscores the immense value of community-driven design in climate resilience,” said research associate Josephine Briones. “Our process shows that when you actively listen to stakeholders and combine their local insights with rigorous scientific evidence, the resulting adaptation strategies become much more practical, impactful and relevant.”<\/p>\n

Authored by Meguro, Briones, German “Gerry” Failano and Charles “Chip” Fletcher, the project represents a partnership between the School of Architecture<\/a>, Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Sea Grant<\/a> and Climate Resilience Collaborative<\/a>. It was funded by Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Sea Grant, National Sea Grant and the Office of Naval Research.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The team created architectural renderings that visualize how Waikīkī\u2019s<\/span> built environment can be modified to accommodate future flooding.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":232243,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[240,598,239,92,635,9,438],"class_list":["post-232231","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research","tag-architecture","tag-faculty-recognition","tag-school-of-architecture","tag-school-of-ocean-and-earth-science-and-technology","tag-sea-grant-college-program","tag-uh-manoa","tag-uh-sea-grant","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