Mixed Plate: The Architecture of Hawaii directed by Honolulu-based designers Kaoru Lovett, Graham Hart, and Ronald Ribao, is a film about how Hawaii’s diverse cultural heritage has proffered a diverse built environment over time.
The film captures the architecture of Hawaii from ancient to contemporary – hale pili grass homes, Buddhist temples, the Hawaii Theatre, the state Capitol Building and more. The filmmakers describe the architecture of Hawaii as a mixed plate of cultural influences rather than a melting point.
“This isn’t a melting pot, it’s a mixed plate. Together it is one meal, one cuisine, identifiable as parts to a whole,” says the narrator.
Mixed Plate: The Architecture of Hawaii was awarded third prize and the People’s Choice Award at the American Institute of Architects Look Up Film Challenge at the inaugural Chicago Architecture Biennial. The film also received special recognition in the Diversity & Inclusion category.
“Mixed Plate: The Architecture of Hawaii wouldn’t have done so well had it not been for the influence of the larger community. To see the impact that the greater public can have on something that we worked on is truly humbling,” Kaoru Lovett said.
