While Honolulu is world-renowned for its stunning natural beauty—from turquoise Pacific waters to lush mountains and golden beaches—its urban skyline remains one of the most visually striking and yet underexplored in the U.S. That’s about to change.

Professor Martin Despang is authoring an architectural guidebook on Honolulu, set to be part of German publisher DOM’s prestigious global Architekturführer (Architecture Guide) series. The series has profiled over 140 cities worldwide, with Honolulu soon to join the ranks in Spring 2026.

The forthcoming guide, DOM HNL, will highlight the cultural and architectural richness of Honolulu’s built environment, offering a new lens for (building-) culturally curious travelers. Professor Despang has collaborated with respected historians DeSoto Brown, SoA Professor Bill Chapman, and Don Hibbard, alongside guest contributors Curt Sanburn and Associate Professor Bundit Kanisthakon, as well as past and current UH architecture students.

A panel discussion hosted by AIA Honolulu is scheduled for Fall 2025 to celebrate and preview the release.
For more about DOM’s international series, visit: DOM Architecture Guides.