Stephen F Mechler's Obituary
Stephen F. Mechler
Steve Mechler was born and raised in Kāne‘ohe on family property where the family still resides. From a young age, he knew he wanted to be a landscape architect and also wanted to build a home for his family on the property hillside. He spent years before building his home planting trees and designing the site for the house so that when he moved in the trees were mature and provided a beautiful sanctuary for his family. His residence remains as a testament to his love for the property.
Steve attended Kainalu and Aikahi Elementary Schools prior to attending Punahou where he graduated in 1970. He received his bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design/Landscape Architecture from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Following his graduation from college, he returned home to Hawai‘i to start his career.
Prior to founding The Mechler Corporation in 1993, he was a partner in the firm Tongg, Clarke & Mechler for 12 years and had previously worked at Tongg Associates and Belt Collins, all respected firms in the field of landscape architecture. Steve provided a wide spectrum of landscape architectural services for numerous Hawai’i, U.S. and international projects including residential homes and estates, commercial and office complexes, hotels and resorts, landscape master planning, golf courses and clubhouse facilities, and housing and condominiums. Under his mentorship, numerous designers have become prominent landscape architects in Hawai‘i and credit Steve’s design style for their success.
Steve designed some of the most recognized landscape projects and pool, spa & water features for over 50 years in the islands and internationally. When developer Chris Hemmeter worked to develop “fantasy” resorts on the Big Island, Kaua‘i and Maui, Steve lead the design team on projects like the Hilton Waikoloa Village, Westin Kaua‘i and Westin Maui. Almost every Hawai‘i resort was touched by his design, and that touch also designed projects in Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Guam, Las Vegas, Australia and Taiwan.
He had a very strong art background in drawings and renderings and successfully used this artistic skill to bridge the language gap in numerous international projects and with his clients to visually illustrate his design goals without relying on language or 2 dimensional plans as the primary means of communication.
He served his community for years as a board member and former President of the Outdoor Circle and a board member and Beautification Chair of the Lani-Kailua Outdoor Circle which advocates for trees, and was responsible for saving iconic trees through his innovative approach to their use in a design. He was appointed and served for years as a Commissioner on the Mayor’s Commission on Culture & The Arts. Additionally, he previously served as a member of the Urban Design Task Force involved in many of Kailua landscape renovation projects and also on the board of MACZAK (Marine & Coastal Zone Advocacy Council). His work was recognized with the Betty Crocker Landscape Award by Scenic Hawai‘i, The Outdoor Circle Crystal Hibiscus Award and Certificate of Distinguished Service.
Steve is survived by his wife Suzi (Susan), children Lindsay Kawena ‘Ōpunui (Landon) and Cale Mechler (Maile), two grandsons Kūali‘i and Kaula ‘Ōpunui, brother David Mechler (Sylvia Herbstritt) and sister Diane Harding.
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