Mission Hawaiian architecture

one of houses in mission houses museum, honolulu.

they simple homes high-pitched roofs , overlapping weatherboards called clapboards. simplicity , unassuming character of these structures derived puritan ideals—that plainness virtue of true christians. years passed, new england style morphed distinctive style called hawaiian mission architecture. new england methods , materials replaced methods , materials readily available hawaiians.

kawaiahaʻo church.

hawaiian mission architecture moved away construction solely using wood , experimented use of coral blocks hewn reefs of hawaiian islands. coral seemed plentiful , comparable bricks used construction in new england. when queen kaʻahumanu converted congregational denomination of christianity, commissioned construction of major church in downtown honolulu. kawaiahaʻo church 1 of longest-lasting relics of hawaiian mission architecture using coral blocks. today, kawaiahaʻo church stands adjacent mission houses museum, surviving examples of hawaiian mission architecture using wood.

interior of cathedral of our lady of peace

at same time congregational missionaries went construction of kawaiahaʻo church, french catholic missionaries of congregation of sacred hearts of jesus , mary under leadership of bishop louis maigret introduced own version of hawaiian mission architecture. difference cathedral of our lady of peace project based on simple french church architecture in basilica form. regional twist, adaptation congregational missionaries embraced, use of coral blocks reefs of ala moana , kakaʻako. picpus religious order succeeded in doing creating first instance of hawaiian architecture based on continental european styles opposed american puritan styles imported protestants. picpus fathers opened doors european architectural styles—classical, baroque, renaissance, rococo , neoclassical — become uniquely hawaiian in hands of local builders.