The team of Holly Anaru, Rana Fatoohi, Rory Norton, Bao Chung Phan and Lana Webster from Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau, Huri Te Ao Hoahoanga, Auckland University of Technology, School of Future Environments is a finalist for their project 'Kia Korowai Aroha Kia Maumahara'.
Project description
Centred around a co-design approach with the Hawke whānau of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, this project explores medium-density housing through the engagement of mātauranga Māori and mana motuhake.
As a collective, we hold the belief that Aotearoa has an opportunity to significantly improve its inclusion of indigenous knowledge and values in our housing. We want to emphasise the need and opportunity to utilise co-design to create outcomes embedded in te ao Māori.
We collaborated with the Hawke whānau to develop a design response to replace their current whare (home) on Kitemoana Street, Ōrākei, with one that meets their needs, including housing for whānau, space to look after whānau and children in need, and communal amenities. We looked to the Hawke whānau to lead the design outcomes of Kia Korowai Aroha Kia Maumahara. By collectively exploring manaakitanga (hospitality), kaitiakitanga (guardianship), whanaungatanga (kinship) and kotahitanga (unity), the building becomes more than a house that provides shelter – it’s a home that embraces a community and a physical manifestation of iwi and whānau values.
Jury citation
From the foundation up, the many hands, heads and hearts in this co-design have resolved to embed te ao Māori into a whare that embraces a whānau, with all its diverse needs, as well as the wider community.
Elegantly demonstrating that a home provides more than just shelter, the group and whānau collectively explored through co-design manaakitanga (hospitality), kaitiakitanga (guardianship), whanaungatanga (kinship) and kotahitanga (unity) to develop a values-based, medium-density housing solution.
The group took a pragmatic approach in addressing the needs of a family and community, and the outcomes required. Their well-synthesised information represents a diverse range of inputs and considered thought. The outcome not only incorporates te ao Māori principles into a fit-for-purpose whare design, but emphasises that the opportunity to do so is unique to Aotearoa.
The judges commended the group for exploring ideas and developing a new typology through the education system, and support them in their learning-by-doing journey.
The project left the judges with a sense of optimism about the role of architecture and value of co-design.
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