Āina Design Corp. is proud to collaborate with our local institutions and community partners who share our vision for regenerative agriculture and sustainable land management in Hawaiʻi. Together, we are building innovative solutions and pathways for the next generation of agricultural leaders.
Academic Partnership
University of Hawaiʻi - Natural Resources and Environmental Management
Our partnership with the Natural Resources and Environmental Management (NREM) department at the University of Hawaiʻi drives a knowledge hub for grounded research that reaches and effects communities through practical applications. This collaboration integrates academic research with agentic design goals — leveraging AI-assisted planning and place-based intelligence to connect field experience, community engagement, and data-driven insights. Through this partnership, we support students in their project development while advancing sustainable land management practices and building a living knowledge base for Hawaiʻi's agricultural and environmental future.
HKA Projects
Hui Koʻe ʻĀina — Knowledge Hub & Maker Space
Hui Koʻe ʻĀina is both an innovative maker space and an evolving knowledge hub where students, researchers, farmers, and community members collaborate on regenerative agriculture projects grounded in real-world application. This hands-on learning environment serves as a living laboratory — integrating agentic research tools, field data, and community knowledge to accelerate sustainable practices and inform decision-making at the local level. Through mentorship and collaborative inquiry, we connect academic research to the communities it serves.
Students and topic experts engaged in action based research on soil amendment and bioremediation projects
Your support directly funds operational support, materials, and supplies for our community learning site at the Magoon Research Lab in Mānoa for new product initiatives such as wholly and locally sourced soil amendments for local farms and gardens. Contributions help us provide equipment, materials, and resources for student education, professional support, and prototyping integrated into our Mokunet and Kuleana community planning and logistics framework. Together, we're building a regenerative future for Hawaiʻi's agricultural and urban landscapes.
Urban Project Showcase
Mokunet — One Shared, Trusted Map
A whole systems community planning framework being built around ISO standards for sustainable land development, embedded into building information models (BIM). Our Moku Agent is in development to provide place-based resilience design support with localized project knowledge.
Manaʻolana Program Support
Manaʻolana (meaning "hope" in Hawaiian) focuses on maintaining urban greenspaces along our new and growing rail corridor as places of healing and community connection. This project creates opportunities for VA participation and leadership through experiential learning.
Kuleana Moku Relations Management
A comprehensive platform for managing relationships and connections within Hawaiian moku (districts). Kuleana facilitates community coordination, resource sharing, and collaborative decision-making for sustainable land stewardship.
Hui Koʻe ʻĀina Knowledge Hub
A knowledge hub for grounded research connecting academic inquiry with community impact. Hui Koʻe ʻĀina integrates agentic research tools and place-based intelligence to support practical applications in regenerative agriculture across Hawaiʻi's communities.
MokuLab Design Sandbox
An experimental design sandbox for BIM model creation. MokuLab provides an interactive environment for exploring building information models (IFC) and preparing them as structured, data-ready models for sustainable infrastructure planning.
Manaʻolana Community of Doers
Through our partnerships and projects, we are creating lasting positive change through vested site engagement and collaborative action. Our work focuses on:
• Developing basis of hybrid agricultural workforce through hands-on education
• Restoring degraded land using regenerative practices
• Extending agricultural knowledge towards biological based products
• Building resilient local food systems tailored to an urban context
• Fostering collaboration between institutions and small farm communities
• Creating career pathways for young agricultural leaders and product innovators
Manaʻolana program participants at the Keehi Memorial Site conducting activities near the Ahua Skyline station