The University of Hawaiʻi Community Design Center (UHCDC) is a teaching practice and outreach initiative led by the School of Architecture that provides a new platform for students, staff, faculty, and partnered professionals to collaborate on interdisciplinary applied research, planning, and design projects that serve the public interest. These projects introduce new learning, teaching, research, and service opportunities that support the university’s strategic priorities and orientation to the public interest. Our partnerships with seven state agencies have allowed us to apply our faculty expertise, design methodologies, and student efforts to the critical issues facing our island community: ecological resilience, sea-level rise, cultural identity, resource management, public health and safety, education, economic innovation, transportation, infrastructure, and affordable housing, among others.