The Waipā Foundation is a nonprofit organization on Kauaʻi’s North Shore dedicated to stewardship of a 1,600-acre ahupuaʻa through land restoration, community engagement, and the preservation of Indigenous Hawaiian practices. During my time at Waipā, I supported youth education programs, contributed to the weekly Poi Day food justice initiative, and worked alongside biologists, farmers, and cultural practitioners on land restoration. My primary design project involved designing and building forest play elements using invasive plant species sourced directly from the land. Working through the full process, from sketching and construction documentation to hands-on fabrication, I explored how locally available materials could be repurposed into functional, engaging play structures. The experience combined design, fabrication, environmental stewardship, and community-based work.
