Business Monday: Two architects found Hamajang Studio, now with a public office in Waikōloa

Architects AJ Taaca and Aki Yoshida partnered during the COVID-19 pandemic to found Hamajang Studio. After a few years of working out of their separate home offices, they opened a public office in October at Kings’ Shops in Waikōloa.

“Armed with laptops and a dream, we decided to take a leap from the firm we working at and start our own brand,” Taaca said. “We’re excited to actually have a physical space.”

Taaca and Yoshida had been working at de Reus Architects in Waimea when they decided to go out on their own. They shared a bond of being inspired by architecture since their childhoods.

For Taaca, it was the Catholic church in downtown Honolulu he would attend with his mother. As early as 5 years old, he remembers the Gothic-style building’s aisles, alter and side chapel. The atmosphere and ceremony of church created a sense of wonder and invoked the Holy Spirit.

“As I grew older I understood the power of architecture and how it can make the world better,” Taaca said.

For Yoshida, who grew up in London and Japan, she recalls her grandmother’s old house that stood in the middle of Tokyo. She loved the front sliding door, which she described as loud.

“It had a lot of character, which I think the current architect lacks,” Yoshida said. “It had the feel of nostalgia and imperfection.”

At their studio, Taaca and Yoshida work to fulfill their goals as designers while creating spaces with meaning for their clients.

Since their founding, Hamajang Studio has built a client base that stretches from San Francisco to Tokyo. Their projects include high-end residential resorts, nonprofit commercial tenant improvements and restaurants.

Their firm, Taaca said, is based on what a design should be, is concept-driven and is rooted in research.

Yoshida added the business is process-driven.

“There’s a lot of firms out there where process isn’t the most important thing. You just have to get the product out ASAP,” Yoshida said. “We’re trying our best not to go that route and finding the right client that enjoys the process of design.”

At Hamajang Studio, Taaca said they draw inspiration from the island.

“The way we like to look at architecture in our firm is the building is an ambulatory device,” Taaca said. “Shaping the building to block from harsh wind or harsh sun, having specificity of the site and crafting a building that fits perfectly in it.”

Hamajang Studio was hired to redesign the reception area of Kumukahi Health + Wellness, a nonprofit with an office in Hilo that offers health equity for Hawai‘i Island’s at-risk community.

Peter Silva, executive director of Kumukahi, said the organization wanted to elevate the space by creating a calming and relaxing feel for their clients.

Taaca and Yoshida took a look at the 800-square-foot reception area, learned about the organization and designed three options.

“AJ and Aki they were amazing,” Silva said. “They were a breath of fresh air with new ideas. They’d regularly visit the construction site to ensure the vision was held.”

Silva said they created a beautiful slope, indicative of the mauna (mountain) within wooden slats of the reception desk. The sign “Kumukahi” lights up, which he says can change colors, whether it’s pink for Breast Cancer Awareness or rainbow for Pride Month.

“It was a small project, but it feels like it makes a big impact,” Yoshida said. “It was a true collaboration between the client and general contractor.”

Silva said he was also drawn to the name of the business: Hamajang Studio.

Hamajang is a Hawaiian Pidgin word meaning “messy” or “all messed up.” According to a press release from the firm, the word serves as a fun and lighthearted icebreaker when meeting potential clients. But for the two architects, it also carries a deeper meaning.

“Hawai’i is a melting pot of cultures. We want to honor Hawaiian Pidgin and its role in connecting people. For a long time, it was the heartbeat of the islands,” said Taaca, who was born and raised on O‘ahu and educated in Seattle. “Pidgin is how people from different backgrounds learned to communicate to get the job done, which mirrors our approach to the design and construction process. The name just seemed to fit.”

Click here to learn more about Hamajang Studio.