| 85 Kelly Deeks Celebration of waka The building rises in a waveform, reminiscent of the dynamic sail and paddle movements of an ocean-going waka. ARCHITECTURE TOA Architecture: Mahitahi Social Housing Project Tāmaki Makaurau Office Architecture, or TOA Architects, has seen the completion of the first stage of a two-stage project at Te Māhurehure Cultural Marae and Conference Centre in Point Chevalier with the opening of the new wānanga building, Te Taumata o Kupe, in November. TOA approaches architecture differently. The practice is a Kaupapa Māori Organisation where Tikanga Māori informs all processes. TOA’s architecture is inspired by Tangata – people; Whenua – our land and its history, Aroha – heart, and Wairua -–spirit. Likewise, Te Māhurehure is a bit different as well. Te Māhurehure Cultural Marae and Conference Centre is one of Central Auckland’s newest marae, opening in 1969 to provide a home away from home for Ngāpuhi descendants, several of whom had moved away from Waima and South Hokianga to the cities after World War II. TOA Associate Director and Project Architect Daniel Lewis says Te Taumata o Kupe has not been designed or built like a traditional marae. “This is a modern Māori building, it’s all high-tech.” Te Taumata o Kupe translates to the Platform of Kupe. Kupe was a legendary waka captain and is said to be the first human explorer to arrive in Aotearoa more than 1000 years ago. His wife, Kuramārōtini, is said to have named us Aotearoa, or The Long White Cloud, on seeing the North Island for the first time. Te Taumata o Kupe is a celebration of Pacific voyaging, waka, and navigation and was originally set to open in time for America’s Cup in 2021, for tourists and other visiting enthusiasts to experience the digital interactive learning platform and access all the old kōrero tuku iho that have been left behind by Ngāpuhi tūpuna. Covid delays, of course, curtailed these plans, however, the new building was always designed as a multi-functional space for education and wānanga and fits easily into Te Māhurehure’s existing business model of hosting corporate and academic institutes for conferences and events. The building rises in a waveform, reminiscent of the dynamic sail and paddle movements of an ocean-going waka, providing a double-height wānanga /educational space inside, and ground on each side by thick red eaves like the paddles of a waka. The front of the building tells a story of the Kupe Pūrākau in intricate glass work, featuring Kupe’s face represented as the sun, his wahine Kuramārōtini’s face represented as the moon, and the starry sky as used by traditional Polynesian navigators to position themselves in the ocean. This mahi toi was designed in conjunction with renowned Tohunga and astrologer Matua Rereata Makiha lead the rangatahi from TOA Matekitātahi Rāwiri, who actually attended kōhanga reo at Te Māhurehure more than 20 years ago. w w w . h y d r o h e a t . c o . n z 0800 043 000 Hydronic radiator and underfloor heating specialist Approved installers for: Phone 021757222 www.nicheflooring.co.nz PROUD TO BE WORKING WITH TOA ARCHITECTURE PROVIDING QUALITY PRODUCTS FOR THE SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF FLOORING, WITHIN BUDGET AND ON TIME. Over 20 years’ experience in project managing of flooring supply and installation. Commercial projects are our specialty – both Nationally and Internationally. 0800 336 996 2 Rockridge Ave, Penrose, Auckland www.doorwindowsystems.co.nz info@doorwindowsystems.co.nz
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=