teaching responsibility for the environment was a main force behind this design. sited between the mountains and the sea in a particularly dismal suburban development on the island of oahu, it seemed the dichotomy between the unspoiled aspects of the island and the man-made disaster they were sitting in was the perfect vehicle - hence the tower.  the area below the roof is the school, students conceptually like magma - pure unformed potential - and above the roof is  potential realized.