A sea of timber beams intersects around the rim of Te Ara a Tāwhaki, a new learning centre for Māori on the Kāpiti Coast. The immediate visual effect is that of a glass box veiled by woven flax or a tukutuku pattern. Give it time, though, and a sense of the building’s purpose surfaces. The interwoven lumber seems to nod subtly at the three local iwi – Ngāti Toa, Te Ātiawa and Ngāti Raukawa – who are brought together beyond the glazed frontage, for this is a teaching space where the three tribes’ youth can learn about their ancestors, among other things, and connect with their community. Inside, ancient tōtara logs, carved more than three decades ago, wordlessly tell the stories of their hapū, and bear some semblance of a…
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Interior (Digital) - 1 Issue, June / August 2019