Walters, Kimura, Motoda, Inc. - Hawaii Baptist Academy Middle School

The new middle school at Hawaii Baptist Academy is a LEED gold facility - one of only two gold-certified projects in Hawaii when it was completed. It was designed not only for sustainability, but to respect the unique environmental surroundings, and relate to the historic architecture of the residential neighborhood. 87% of the open area of the site was preserved and a 20,000-gallon rainwater catchment system is connected to the irrigation system to reduce potable water demand.

To reinforce the school's Christian mission and educational function, plants mentioned in the Bible or their relatives such as dwarf date palm, olive, pomegranate, and aloe are incorporated into the landscape.

Taro and Banana, two traditional Hawaiian foods, are planted along the 'auwai or irrigation ditch system that was once used to grow Hawaii's staple food crop in lo'i or terraced fields in Nu'uanu Valley. The landscape is meant not only to please the eye, but to educate as well.