Kona Historical Society reconnects with cherished friends at UH-Mānoa's School of Architecture
Photos by Carolyn Lucas-Zenk, Kona Historical Society Community Engagement Manager
Virtual learning continues to open more doors of possibility and Kona Historical Society is finding new ways to embrace it! This week Public Programs Manager Audrey Blair hosted a second year architecture class from University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa for a collaborative midterm project, beginning with an hour-long tour of the Society's Kona Coffee Living History Farm. Over the next few weeks, students will design a theoretical simple structure inspired by the farm.
During the virtual field trip on Sept. 15, Blair explained to the class the many uses of the farm's historic and modern structures. These uses range from historic interpretation and ticket sales to field trips and Hands On History activities.
"In everything that is built or repaired on the farm we must maintain a coffee farmer's mentality. Not only is it important to have newly built structures fit in stylistically with farm, it is important that these structures reflect the realities of coffee farming in the 1930s. As the farmers did, we always keep in mind sustainability, reuse, simplicity, and multi-use structures," Blair said.
During the virtual tour, Blair highlighted the hoshidana, or drying rack, and as example of the ingenuity and resourcefulness of Kona coffee farmers. With their rolling roofs, these structures revolutionized the drying process for rural farmers. Underneath the hoshidana provided additional space for storage of parchment coffee and in some cases, living quarters for bachelor farmers.
While the projects created by the students will only be theoretical, it will prove to be a fun challenge as they keep in mind the purpose and function of the Kona Coffee Living History Farm.