Whare Maori

The village has informed the way Maori live, the influence and evolution of the village and its impact on Maori architecture is explored in this episode. We visit:- Maungapohatu, Urewera Forest (Ngai Tuhoe)/ Whakarewarewa Village, Rotorua (Te Arawa)/ Tapu te Ranga, Wellington.

In this, the first of two episodes focused on the wharenui, we look at the origins of this iconic structure and celebrate some of the most remarkable examples in New Zealand. We visit:- Maori Village, Hamilton Gardens, Hamilton/ Te Hau ki Turanga, Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington/ Te Poho o Rukupo, Manutuke (Rongowhakaata), Te Noho Kotahitanga, Auckland Unitech.

We look into the relationship between Maori and the land, looking into the influence this relationship has had on our architecture. We visit:- Maungakiekie, Auckland (Ngati Whatua)/ Amanda Yates whare, Flaxmill Bay, Coromandel/ Maungapohatu, Urewera Forest/ Te Pooti, Pipiriki, Whanganui River, Whareuku Project, Ahipara.

The whare karakia, or church, represented a marriage of European and Māori architectural concerns. This episode looks at some of the finest examples of this early collision of cultures. We visit:- Rangiatea Chuch, Otaki (Ngati Raukawa)/ Toko Toru Tapu Church, Manutuke (Rongowhakaata)/ Motukaraka Church, Northland/ St Faith’s Church, Rotorua (Te Arawa).

Te Kooti Rikirangi was a revolutionary who created the Christian based Ringatu religion and changed the face of meeting house construction, his influence on the striking, idiosyncratic and graphically rich designs for painted meeting houses are celebrated in this episode. We visit:- Kokohinau Marae, Te Teko (Ngati Awa)/ Te Whai a te Motu, Ruatahuna (Ngai Tuhoe)/ Te Tokanganui a Noho, Te Kuiti (Ngati Maniapoto)

In our second episode focused on the wharenui, we look at the history of carving - an art-form fundamental to Maori story-telling and self expression.

The influence of women in Māori architecture is uncovered in an episode dedicated to the work, both historical and contemporary, of female carvers, architects and designers. We visit:- Turangawaewae Marae, Ngaruawahia (Tainui)/ Mohaka Marae, Mohaka/ Te Rau Aroha, Bluff.

Ratana is a spiritual and political movement that emerged in the 1920’s. We look at how the movement galvanised the Māori people and spurred an architecture that remains, to this day, among our most distinctive and celebrated. We visit:- Ratana Churches at Mangamuka, Northland/ Raetihi/ Ratana Pa, Whanganui.

This overview of arguably the most significant trained architect in New Zealand’s history explores how Scott married modernity with traditional notions of space and design. We visit:-Futuna Chapel, Wellington/ Our Lady of Lourdes, Haumoana House, Hawkes Bay/ Ngamatea, Ngamatea.

In this episode we look at the development of the wharekai (dining room), the ways we entertain our guests and look at how the notion of manaaki is becoming an important aspect in some ambitious new public buildings currently under construction. We visit:- Ranana Marae, Whanganui River/ Kimiora, Turangawaewae Marae, Ngaruawahia/ Mangatu, Wairoa/ Waka House, Wellington.

The whare wananga, or house of learning, has transformed over history, in this episode we look at the evolution of the architecture of education. We visit:- Matakana Native School, Matakana Island/ Kia Aroha School, Otara, Auckland/ Mana Tamariki, Palmerston North.

The kainga, or home, has always been significant for Māori, this episode focuses on the work of modern architects who have embraced the traditional notion of the kainga in their stunning contemporary designs. We visit:- Hoete private residence, Motiti Island/ Fred Steven’s private residence, Lake Tarawera/ Wishart private residence, Hokianga/ Orakei Marae, Auckland.

Through the work of some of New Zealand’s most exciting new architectural talent, we look at the new directions Māori architecture is taking as we head into the twenty-first century. We visit:- Te Puia School of Maori Arts & Crafts, Rotorua/ Maori TV building, Auckland/ Te Tauraka Waka a Maui, West Coast/ Tane Whakapiripiri, Auckland/ Alfriston College, Auckland.