WATG Honolulu now accepting nominations for Deserving Designs

HONOLULU, HI – December 12, 2019 – WATG Honolulu announced today that it will donate Landscape Architecture design services and materials to bring a deserving community benefit project to life. The multi-disciplinary design firm is currently accepting nominations for Deserving Designs, a new initiative in support of projects that make a lasting impact for the community and its residents.

Non-profit organizations, schools/educational organizations, foundations or for-profit companies with an established community giving program can nominate a project for consideration. Projects must be on Oahu and focus on Landscape Architecture services to create or significantly enhance an exterior space that will provide a meaningful community benefit. One project will be selected for implementation in 2020. In addition to providing pro bono design services and a volunteer labor corps, WATG Honolulu will donate up to $20,000 for materials, tools and associated installation costs.

Interested organizations may contact honolulu@watg.com for further information, or download the program details and an application form below. The submission deadline is January 27 2020. WATG Honolulu will select an award recipient in February and design work will begin in the spring of 2020.

“Next year is our 75^th anniversary and we chose to celebrate this milestone by giving back to this place that has inspired and shaped us,” noted Robert Payan, Senior Vice President of WATG Honolulu. “Through Deserving Designs, we look forward to helping a community organization make a meaningful difference in the lives of the individuals they serve.”

Image: WATG Honolulu Landscape Architecture team – Bernice Fielding, Michael Brown, Kevin Ho and Victor Elliot

WATG was founded in 1945 in Honolulu by Pete Wimberly and has continually operated in the islands for 74 years while pioneering its practice globally to now include offices in California, New York, London, Singapore, Dubai and Shanghai. Most recently, WATG delivered architectural design for the Residence Inn Maui Wailea and Landscape Architecture design for Hale Koa Hotel (pictured).

A key focus of Deserving Designs is sustainability, which draws heavily on WATG’s origins and founding principles that speak to creating destinations and spaces for people; using resilient techniques and materials; protecting and preserving the environment; and offering innovative, timeless design solutions.

First implemented in 2018 as Charity Champions and rebranded locally as Deserving Designs, the firm-wide effort emerged as a response by the Board of WATG to aid in the aftermath of various natural disasters and humanitarian crises. The program’s goal is to give back to the many destinations that WATG has helped pioneer over its 75-year history. As both a regional and international campaign, each WATG office selects a project within their region and the firm provides corporate financial support to augment the “boots on the ground” work done by WATG employees to benefit a deserving organization, destination or community.

Download Deserving Designs information

Download Deserving Designs application form

AIA Document B106 is available upon request, by contacting honolulu@watg.com

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Kris Tanahara
Director of Public Relations
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(808) 673-8585