Don Shaw, AIA
Don Shaw is an architect whose focus is designing attractive and sustainable houses that fit in with the local environment and meet the owners needs and budget. His practice is limited to houses on Oahu with a construction budget of less than $1 million.
Don began working in the construction industry on Oahu, as a carpenter building houses, while studying architecture at Yale. Although he grew up in the Caribbean, he has lived most of life on the Windward side of Oahu.
Earlier in his career, Don did a lot of projects for the travel industry, designing dozens of resorts, hotels and airports, in various parts of the world.
When he was an associate professor at the UH School of Architecture, Don was asked to be the architect in charge of rebuilding a palace in Bali that had been destroyed by an earthquake. The Water Palace at Ujung was reconstructed, using measurements of the ruins, with funding from the World Bank and was awarded an AIA design award.
These days, Don designs more modest residences. He has returned to his first love, designing affordable homes on Oahu.
Don believes that each home should address both the needs and desires of the family that lives there, and the opportunities or constraints of the land on which it is built.