110 | Playground project wins award Te Kapua Park playground in Turangi impressed judges at this year’s New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects (NZILA) Awards. Bespoke Landscape Architects T T Bernadette Cooney “The design weaves the story of the iwi’s association with the Tongariro River, Mount Pihanga, and the wider region, including their primary settlement at Waitahanui Pa.” CONTRACTING Bespoke Landscape Architects, a renowned landscape architecture practice based in Newmarket, has shared a prestigious award at this year’s New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects (NZILA) Awards. Their recognition underscores the firm’s commitment to excellence in design solutions across a variety of projects and scale. The Auckland-based firm was a co-recipient of the Te Karanga o te Tui category at the 2024 Resene NZILA Awards for their remarkable design and construction of the Te Kapua Park Playground in Turangi. The Te Karanga o te Tui category is awarded in recognition of the most outstanding achievement in demonstration of the Te Aranga principles. This $1.2 million destination playground, situated in the heart of the Turangi township, is the result of a collaboration between the Taupo District Council, Bespoke Landscape Architects, and local iwi partner Ngati Turangitukua. Completed in October last year, the playground occupies the southeastern corner of Te Kapua Park and is a vibrant testament to the rich cultural heritage of Ngati Turangitukua. Lee Brazier, principal landscape architect and director of Bespoke Landscape Architects, expressed pride in their recognition . “The design weaves the story of the iwi’s association with the Tongariro River, Mount Pihanga, and the wider region, including their primary settlement at Waitahanui Pa,” says Lee. The playground features a sinuous path symbolising the Tongariro River, connecting various play areas that symbolise natural elements. “This layout not only enhances the play experience but also educates visitors about the local landscape and cultural heritage.” Amenities such as picnic areas, seating, drinking fountains, and BBQ areas are seamlessly integrated, ensuring the park offers an enjoyable, unrushed experience for families. The cultural design of the project was led by Ngati Turangitukua artist Te Maari Gardiner and carver Te Ururangi Rowe, who crafted a series of stunning designs that could be applied to the various play structures and integrated into the safety surfacing areas. Lee sasy that this collaboration ensured a high level of cultural expression that reinforces the significant contextual relationships that Ngati Turangitukua hold with the landscape around this area of the Tongariro River. The judges highlighted the project’s success because of the “creditable outcome of co-design, understanding, and care” among the collaborating parties, benefiting the Turangi community today. This year’s NZILA awards also bestowed a Play Spaces Excellence Award on Bespoke Landscape Architects for Te Kapua Park, and in 2022 they were joint category winners in Education & Play and received a Special Recognition in the Te Karanga o te Tui category for their Warrior Mountains Playgrounds in Taupo. The firm has developed a niche for designing destination playgrounds, and this accolade affirms their expertise and impact. Bespoke offers extensive national and international experience in designing and delivering large-scale parks, recreation areas, and civic spaces. Since being founded in 2005, Bespoke Landscape Architects has led and been a part of multidisciplinary teams offering comprehensive design, management, and construction services for public, commercial and residential landscape developments across New Zealand. playgroundcreations.co.nz We create playgrounds to inspire and ignite the magic of play. We are passionate about design excellence, outstanding quality and exceptional play value. the magic of play We’d love to chat 0800 273 283 Your project. Our passion. Let’s play!
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