Pacific Environment’s Mathew Philip not only learnt the fine art of weaving, but also about the history of the land as he worked in collaboration with Ngai Tai Ki Tamaki artist Tessa Harris on the Ngāti Ōtara Park Multisport Clubrooms last week.
The façade patterning and stitching designed by Tessa, acknowledge the significant Maunga lost to mining and excavation. The contemporary design uses the triangle perforations and the rising peak to represent the maunga, while the stainless steel stitching roimata toroa tukutuku pattern is used represent the tears of the maunga.
As Tessa and Mathew weaved the Tukutuku pattern together, passing the stainless-steel thread through each panel, stories were shared, and ideas exchanged. Mathew gained a renewed appreciation for sketching, whilst Tessa was inspired by Mathew’s CAD based approach.
We feel privileged to be working with Tessa, and recognise the absolute importance of integrating our indigenous cultural heritage into architecture, and the role of Māori artists in the creative evolution of an identifiably New Zealand visual language within our urban landscape.
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