Used in residential and commercial buildings starting in the US’s post-World War II construction boom, breeze block originated in the Sunbelt region of North America. It can be found in Palm Springs, Scottsdale, Miami, and other cities with warm climates. By 1955, breeze block was being used in Hawai‘i, which was once home to at least four breeze block manufacturers, a testament to the prettified cinderblock’s popularity. Today there is one left—Tileco in Kapolei. The company supplied the Vista Pacifico, Double Y, Empress, Vista Vu and Sunflower breeze blocks on view in the exhibition.

HoMA curator of textiles and the historic arts of Hawai‘i Tory Laitila was inspired by Screen Blocks in Hawaii: Letting Trade Winds Flow, a booklet published by the nonprofit Docomomo US/Hawaii Chapter, dedicated to the conservation and documentation of modern architecture in the islands. The result is this exhibition that is a visual exploration of breeze block in Hawai‘i.

Gallery Talk
Let Trade Winds Flow: Breeze block in Hawai‘i
Friday, Dec. 19, 7 p.m., Gallery 14
Included with general admission, registration required
HoMA curator of textiles and historic arts of Hawai‘i Tory Laitila is joined by University of Hawai‘i architecture professor Lance Wolters and architectural historian Don Hibbard for a talk on mid-century breeze block. Wolters and Hibbard wrote Screen Blocks in Hawaii, the Docomomo US/Hawaii Chapter publication that inspired the exhibition.

“I’ve always been more inspired by architecture and mid-century design than by ‘fashion’ in the traditional sense,” says Oaks. “There’s something exciting about translating that mood and aesthetic into something wearable.” She is fascinated by the many layers of architectural style in Hawai‘i. 

“Sometimes it feels like the old gems are fading away, but there’s a growing movement to celebrate the architects who shaped the islands’ distinctive look,” she explains. “Breeze block is such a big part of that story—those patterned walls and facades that feel so timelessly island. These shirts are a nod to that design legacy, reimagined in fabric and color.”