Many architectural styles have found their way to Hawai‘i in the last 150 years. Some have flourished; others have proved inappropriate to the region. Fads come and go, but great design deserves to be preserved for future generations. Hawai‘i is full of historic buildings requiring careful restoration and preservation. CDS International has been privileged to work on many of them.

Restoration projects call for respecting the scale of the original design, while employing contemporary techniques and materials, seamlessly integrated, to make an historical structure once again functional, healthy, useful. This can mean simple refurbishment, but more often it entails introducing modern conveniences and comforts-such as air-conditioning, sprinkler systems, and elevators-without compromising the original aesthetics.

In recent years, an awareness of the need for sustainable-or “green”-design has greatly impacted architecture. New materials and methods enable us to renovate classic buildings to make them more energy efficient, healthier for occupants, and in better sync with the environment.