Te Taumata o Kupe

Pt Chevalier, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

Engaged by TOA Architects for the client Te Mahurehure Marae

Part of the wider Te Mahurehure marae complex in the Auckland suburb of Point Chevalier, Taumata o Kupe is a new 600 square metre building functioning as a hub for the Māori community, hosting wānaga and functions, as well as being a global indigenous learning centre.

The building pays homage to the great seafaring ancestor, Kupe, representing his groundbreaking journey to Aotearoa as well as many more stories from across centuries that are integral to the community – Māori architecture is a repository for cultural knowledge and history. Lighting had to complement the architecture here in a multifaceted way: not merely to enhance the overall design, but also to both respect and bolster the storytelling at work.

This project won multiple awards:

• NZIA Auckland Architecture Awards, 2023 – Public Architecture.
• NZIA NZ Finalist Architecture Awards, 2023 – Public Architecture.
• Interior Awards, 2023 – Finalist Civic.
• Best Design Awards, Purple Pin, 2023.
• Best Design Awards, Gold Pin, 2023.

Photos by David Straight.