Coral House

At Coral House, signs of the island's volcanic past reveal themselves at every turn. To the north, Haleakalā, Hawaiian for "house of the sun," forms a jagged horizon, while Molokini, a crescent-shaped islet just off the southern coast, is the above-water remnant of a crater formed 230,000 years ago. Standing at the entry door, flanked by coral stone walls, a tonal diptych just beyond a Japanese shoji screen-inspired veil wall hints at the visible divide between sky and sea. As one arrives inside, the warmth of ceilings made of local ʻōhiʻa lehua hardwood live in accord with the amber undertones of travertine floors. The palette continues into the main gathering area, where the precision of coral columns and a granite kitchen island offer a counterpoint to the organic, free-form ōhiʻa slab dining table that floats in the middle of the space. Sliding doors open to an outdoor lanai and pool, a natural extension of the interior that brings one closer to the elements while sheltering from sun, wind, and rain. In this series of spaces, the architecture recedes gracefully, layer by layer, until the expanse of the Pacific is plainly within view.