Associate Principal
As Associate Principal at PBR HAWAII, Mr. Higa brings 29 years of experience in landscape and urban design, site and land use planning, graphic design and presentation, planting and irrigation design, construction detailing, and construction administration to his projects. With over 18 years of experience as Project Manager on a variety of project types, his leadership on consultant teams and ability to work with a wide array of team members is essential for a project’s success. With a deep appreciation for our natural resources, he seeks to improve the quality of life in Hawai‘i through promoting sustainable design practices.
Mr. Higa mentors the landscape architectural team, reviews technical drawings for quality assurance and control as well as lends his design expertise to support the planning team, most recently on the Honolulu Harbors Master Plan project. He manages landscape design projects such as the Honolulu International Airport Consolidated Rental Center, Solomon Elementary School, Hale O Kapolei, Mānoa Stream Restoration, Līloa Drive Bikeway Extension, ʻAikahi Shopping Center Renovations, Colony at the Peninsula Hawai‘i Kai, Sheraton Kauaʻi Photo-voltaic Installation, and Palailai Mall.
Mr. Higa’s prior work experience in Washington, Oregon includes completed projects like Portland Oregon’s West Side Light Rail, Portland Stormwater Garden, and Seattle’s 5th Avenue Street End Park, which contributed to his expertise in smart growth and low impact development strategies, streetscape design, and landscape design related to transportation planning and roadway improvements. His prior projects at PBR HAWAII include The Watermark Waikīkī Condominium, Allure Waikīkī Condominium, Daniel K. Inouye Elementary School, Hale Kula Elementary School, Stevenson Middle School Baseball Field, ‘Ewa Beach Elementary School Irrigation System, Board of Water Supply Hālawa Garden, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service Dole Street Facility. Mr. Higa’s project, the Roundabout at Pi‘ikea Avenue and Līloa Drive in Kīhei, Maui, received the Transportation Award in 2016 from the Hawaiʻi Chapter of the American Planning Association.
As an active volunteer, Mr. Higa connects non-profit organizations such as the Friends of Honolulu Botanical Garden and the Hawaiʻi Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects to better serve our community. He provided landscape design on a pro-bono basis for the Honolulu Zoo Discovery project
