Te Matakīrea

Mā te rongo, ka mōhio; Mā te mōhio, ka mārama; Mā te mārama, ka mātau; Mā te mātau, ka ora.

Through engagement comes awareness; through awareness comes understanding; through understanding comes knowledge; through knowledge comes life and well-being.

Kei te mārama a Warren me Mahoney te putaketanga o te tuakiri o ngā tāngata whenua i ngā whanakitanga me ngā aroā motuhake o ngā pāpori.

Heoi ano i hangaia te taupuni he Kapa Mātanga Arōtahi a Iwi Whenua. I ārahi mai ētahi kaihoahoa iwi whenua ahunga hou, hei tūhura ki ngā momo wāhi kainga, mahi me takaro, i ngā tūapapa hōhonu ahurea.

Ahakoa i whakatū te tuapuni mo ngā tau e ono tēkau kūa pahuri, ka whai Te Matakīrea ki ngā urara iwi whenua hei whakamāori ki roto i ngā ahuatanga katoa o tō tātou mahi. He nui ake Te Matakīrea ki ngā kapa kaitohutohu engari, kei te whakawero ki ngā mōrahi rūrua ki te whakaahua auraki me te iwi whenua. Ahakoa i whakahī mātou ki tō mātou ahunga o Aotearoa me ngā korahi pūkete ki Māori, kua whakatū a Te Matakīrea he tikanga hei mahitahi i ngā pāpori o iwi whenua, ka whakaute ki ētahi atu rōhe hoki.

I tō mātou whakaaro, me whakaea i ngā hoahoanga mo ngā iwi whenua. A, i tēnei rā kahore i whakaae ki ngā pāpakutanga o ngā huanga whakareia, Ka āhei te whakaahuatanga o iwi whenua i ngā mohiotanga; ka taea hoki ki te whakaatu i ngā ūara hōhonu, hei tūhura i te āo kītenga o te iwi whenua. Ara, ka tāea te hoahoanga ki te whai tikanga hei whakamana i ngā hapori iwi whenua, ana, ko tātou katoa, hei puea i ngā tāone nui ēra mea tuhāhā, hei whakamana i ngā whakapuakitanga i hangāia tuākiri. Ko Te Matakīrea he waka mō te tangongitanga me he tohu mo ngā ara painga o ngā ao e rua.

A, ka tukuna mai tō mātou kiritaki ngā āheitanga ki tētahi kapa mātanga arōtahi ai, he tohungatanga, he mātanga, me he tū tohutanga hoki, e whakahuanga ana i ngā whakaahua whakaharara a tātou o Warren me Mahoney me ngā rauemi hangarau ki te whakaputa ngā ōtinga hei whakaumu i ngā ahuatanga kātoa.

I te tuatahi, ka whakaarongo mātou

Ahakoa, he tūhāhā hunga whaipānga tō tātou āhukahuka mai i ngā wero me ngā whakauaua tōrangapū tuarongo o Aotearoa, ka taea tōnu mātou ki te whakatautoro ēnei momo āhuatanga ki ngā ahurea rārangi take katoa. I hāngaia te pēwheatanga nei mai i ngā hōnutanga me ngā hiwaia ai o ngā hapori whānui i whakarato mātou, he raupapa whakaahua pāhekoheko me he titikaha whakapono mai i ngā ahuatanga mahitahi tukunga iho. Ka mahitahi mātou, rātou ko ngā hunga whaipānga ki te whakaahua he tukanga hiwai hei whakatūturu angitu ki o rātou herenga, a, ka whakariterite ngā taha pakihi me ngā taha whakahaere o tētahi hingonga, hei awhina i te puakina i te wā tika me te tahua pono.

Ka tāraitia mātou he raupapa hoahoanga mai i ngā aro a iwi whenua. Ara mai ēnei raupapa ka tāea hoki ahei ki te aihetia tō mātou tāone ki mua. Kei te whaitohu he kōeketanga mātanga ki roto to tātou taiao hanga, i whakahikohiko mai i ngā hītori me ngā tikanga, rongomaiwhiti ki a mātou. Me whakatōmene mai, me pēhea mātou i awhina māu, ki te hāngaia, ki te auahanga ngā waahi tāroa tūturu hei whakahaumako ngā oranga katoa.

Ka whataua i ngā angitūtanga o ngā whakaahua iwi whenua mai i ngā tāngata ka whakamana, ka whakaohooho hoki tātou.

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Warren and Mahoney recognises that indigenous cultures are essential to the built identities of all progressive and self-aware societies. To this end the practice has established an Advanced Indigenous Design Unit, led by a new generation of indigenous architects, to explore the places where we live, work and play, and their deepest cultural foundations.

While the practice has worked with indigenous communities throughout its 60-plus years of existence, Te Matakīrea seeks to normalise indigenous values in every aspect of our work. Te Matakīrea is more than an advisory group however, it is charged with challenging the parameters of both indigenous and mainstream design. While we are proud of our New Zealand origins and our extensive track record with Māori, Te Matakīrea has established a method of working with indigenous communities that is highly respected in other jurisdictions, such as Australia, Papua New Guinea and beyond.

Architecture for indigenous communities must be ambitious. Today, decorative elements applied as platitudes late in the design process are no longer acceptable. Indigenous design can be much more insightful; it has the potential to express deeply held values, to explore differing perceptions of time and space and to reflect connections between people and the environment. Most importantly, architecture can empower indigenous communities, and indeed all of us, giving rise to cities which are unique and powerful expressions of our civic identity.

Te Matakīrea is a vehicle for innovation and it represents a ‘best of both worlds’ approach. It gives our clients access to a team with focused cultural expertise and sensitivity, while drawing on Warren and Mahoney’s unparalleled design and technical resources to deliver built outcomes which are transformational in every respect.

First we listen

While our individualised, stakeholder-focused approach has been shaped by the complex and challenging political backdrop of New Zealand, it can be deployed in any cultural context. This method of working is built around deep and regular engagement with the communities we serve, an iterative design process and an unwavering belief that the best design outcomes come from collaboration. We work with stakeholders to design an engagement process that will ensure success on their terms, while negotiating the administrative and commercial realities of a project to help ensure that they are delivered on time and to budget.

With the right people and process, progressive architecture, shaped by an indigenous world view, has the potential to propel our cities forward. It marks a new level of sophistication in our built environments, inspired by histories and traditions that are uniquely ours.

Find out how we can help you create authentic, enduring places that can enrich the lives of all.

Te Matakīrea is the Māori term for the leaders of an advancing group of warriors. The sharp end of the spear. Today it means ‘the driving force’ or ‘to advance’ - an apt name for an initiative charged with charting new ground.