Rooted in Place: What Makes a Hawaiʻi Neighborhood Thrive?

Rooted in Place: What Makes a Hawaiʻi Neighborhood Thrive?

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That question brought together four leaders from urban design, art, local food, and planning for the final installment of AHL's 2026 Art + Design + Architecture panel series. Moderated by AHL President & CEO Bettina Mehnert, FAIA, LEED AP, Rooted in Place: What Makes a Hawaiʻi Neighborhood Thrive? explored the many forces that shape how we experience our neighborhoods and the role each of us can play in helping them thrive.

Throughout the evening, the conversation returned to the importance of connection. Panelists discussed creating spaces where people can regularly encounter their neighbors, making art and community spaces accessible, supporting local businesses and food systems, and ensuring people feel included and represented in the places they call home. As Kimi Yuen noted early in the discussion, pride, identity, and having a voice all contribute to what makes a community feel like its own.

The discussion also looked ahead, asking how Hawaiʻi's neighborhoods can accommodate change without losing their connection to place. From designing around natural resources and local climate to creating adaptable buildings, supporting public art, reconsidering the role of cars, and listening to the memories of kūpuna, the conversation underscored that thriving neighborhoods are not static. They evolve, but how they evolve matters.

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The conversation features:‍

• Alex Beatty, Chief, Urban Design Branch, City & County of Honolulu Department of Planning & Permitting
• Jasper Wong, Founder, World Wide Walls
• Ashley Watts, Owner & Operator, Local Iʻa
• Kimi Yuen, President & Chairperson, PBR Hawaii & Associates, Inc.

Moderated by: Bettina Mehnert, FAIA, LEED AP, President & CEO, AHL

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Together, they explore questions including:

• What makes a neighborhood feel like a community?
• How can the places we design create more opportunities for everyday connection?
• What roles do art, food, local businesses, and public spaces play in shaping neighborhood identity?
• How can history and culture inform the way communities grow and change?
• What should we preserve, and where should we make room for something new?
• What can each of us do to become more active participants in the neighborhoods around us?

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A Taste of Our Neighborhoods

Food was part of both the conversation and the evening itself. Guests enjoyed light bites from local food businesses representing different Honolulu neighborhoods, reinforcing the panel's discussion of how food can connect people to place, local resources, and one another. Ashley Watts spoke about the importance of understanding where our food comes from and strengthening the connections between local producers, businesses, and the communities they serve.

Mahalo to Local Iʻa, Prime Roast Cafe, Hamada General Store, and Shaloha for giving our guests a taste of our neighborhoods throughout the evening.

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About the Art + Design + Architecture Series

Since 2017, AHL's Art + Design + Architecture panel series has brought together leaders from diverse disciplines to explore the opportunities and challenges shaping Hawaiʻi. By encouraging community dialogue across industries, the series serves as a catalyst for inspiration, connection, and innovation.

As Bettina reflected at the close of the evening, gathering for conversations like this is itself a way of building community. 26 9-25 AHL Panel Transcription

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Credits

Photography: AHL
Video Production: Montemayor Films