By IJfke Ridgley By IJfke Ridgley | August 31, 2022 | Home & Real Estate, Home & Real Estate, Home & Real Estate Feature,
Lore has it that legendary Honolulu architect Vladimir Ossipoff would head off into the Wai‘anae mountains with nothing but a hammer and a bucket of nails and construct elaborate structures to camp in. Eventually he would build a cabin at the top of Pālehua Ridge with the same ethos in mind: a seamless integration of building and nature. The resulting Pālehua Cabin (@ossipoffcabin) was designed sometime in the mid-1950s, a simple yet stunning wooden construction in the foggy, verdant mountains of O‘ahu’s west side. “Val was sparing with his words and did not write much about his motivations or design concepts,” explains property manager Liza Gill. “As best we can surmise, he built the cabin at Pālehua to get away from an active social life in Honolulu and be immersed in natural beauty.”
Vladimir Ossipoff typically brought his whole family along with his colleagues for the weekend to the Palehua cabin, which sits at an elevation of 2,500 feet in the Wai‘anae mountain range. Photographed by Paul Strouse Styled by Andrew Mau, Courtney Monahan and Roberta Oaks
A ceramic water crock was found in the cabin when restoration started. Photographed by Paul Strouse Styled by Andrew Mau, Courtney Monahan and Roberta Oaks
The structure was left largely abandoned for decades until the Gill and Olson families purchased the land on which it stands with the purpose of restoring the ecosystem in the Wai‘anae watershed. The families quickly realized that the cabin was important to Hawai‘i’s architectural history and set their sights on restoring it to its original glory. Ossipoff was the preeminent postwar architect of the islands, famous for his simple, modern designs that married Eastern and Western influences and were appropriate for the Hawaiian climate, and the Pālehua Cabin is the truest expression of that. “It is clearly informed by Val’s childhood in Japan and his desire to be in harmony with nature,” says Gill. “While there are dozens of Ossipoff designs across Hawai‘i, this cabin is unique among them for its simplicity and perspective.” Together with a team of volunteers and local creatives, including interior designer Graham Hart and linens company Citron & Date, they have lovingly restored the cabin with stunning results. “The only goal in the restoration has been to honor the original craftsmanship and preserve a unique piece of Hawai‘i’s architectural history.”
Linens custom-made by Hawai‘i-based company Citron & Date adorn the cabin. Photographed by Paul Strouse Styled by Andrew Mau, Courtney Monahan and Roberta Oaks
The living area showcases handcut lamps by Mark Chai. Photographed by Paul Strouse Styled by Andrew Mau, Courtney Monahan and Roberta Oaks
The outdoor lanai seamlessly blends in with the surrounding nature. Photographed by Paul Strouse Styled by Andrew Mau, Courtney Monahan and Roberta Oaks
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