Ki Tua + Pre-Research

Ki Tua (beyond) is a concept in Māori culture that refers to the idea of the spiritual or the supernatural realm. It's often associated with the beliefs and practices of Māori people regarding the unseen forces that impact their lives, including connections to ancestral heritage and spirituality. In terms of architecture, Ki Tua influences Māori building designs and placement, often considering the spiritual significance of the locations and materials used. This philosophy can lead to the incorporation of traditional motifs and narratives in structures, aligning them with cultural values and ancestral connections.

Ki Tua Video

  • Narratives that delve beyond the unkown and beyond what can be seen by the naked eye

  • Whakapapa has many meanings but to summarise its the genealogical connections to Hawaiki (place of origin), the environment, the gods and Io (the creator deity)

    • in regard to processes how we are having conversations, encounters, connections, projects which is an effect of whakapapa

    • Despite centuries of oppression and confiscation whakapapa will never dissappear

    • Whakapapa has benefits to our lives such as food, family unity, work because it thinks about how and where that food is grown, what hands have touched it. Allows us to look in understanding the different connections in our lives. But we don’t think about those whakapapa connections (the mauri)

      • believed origin of food from Tumatauenga (diety of war) after he sought revenge on his brothers

    • Can understand whakapapa by analysing everything about them and how it connects to them and other

  • Understand why we do the things we do wether by understanding whakapapa through genealogy, learning traditions of ancestors and living those practices

  • The connection of whakapapa is more important than the colour of your skin

Our whakataukī is Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua: I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on the past. This proverb talks about Māori perspectives of time, where the past, the present and the future are viewed as intertwined

How we can design for just and equitable transitions in our built and natural environments?

To design for just and equitable transitions in built and natural environments while incorporating Ki Tua, consider the following principles:

  1. Integration of Māori Perspectives

    • Engage with Māori communities to understand their values and perspectives, especially those related to Ki Tua, and incorporate these insights into design processes.

  2. Spiritual Significance

    • Recognize the spiritual connections of sites influenced by Ki Tua. Design should respect the ancestral links to the land and acknowledge the spiritual narratives that are important to Māori culture.

  3. Whakapapa Connections

    • Incorporate the concept of whakapapa, which emphasizes genealogical connections, into the design process. This could involve understanding the relationships between people, places, and natural resources, and designing spaces that foster these connections.

  4. Sustainable Practices

    • Utilize sustainable materials and methods that align with Māori traditions, considering the environmental impact and promoting harmony with nature as guided by Ki Tua principles.

  5. Cultural Narratives in Architecture

    • Infuse architectural designs with traditional motifs and narratives, ensuring buildings reflect and honor cultural values and ancestral stories.

  6. Community Engagement

    • Foster inclusive participation in the design process from diverse communities, ensuring that all voices, particularly those of marginalized groups, are heard and valued. This aligns with the equitable transition goal.

  7. Continuous Learning and Adaptation

    • Design must be flexible and adaptable to the evolving needs of communities, allowing for continuous engagement and learning from Māori practices and perspectives.

  8. Long-Term Relationship Building

    • Establish long-term relationships with Māori communities, ensuring that their knowledge and cultural significance are integrated into designs that will endure and evolve over time.

Auckland Urban Design Office (formerly Eke Panuku) and their masterplanning of Panmure

Auckland Urban Design Office, previously known as Eke Panuku, is focused on urban regeneration and sustainable development in Auckland.

  • Their masterplanning of Panmure aims to enhance the area through design that incorporates community needs, environmental sustainability, and cultural values.

  • The planning process often involves collaboration with local communities and stakeholders to ensure that developments reflect the unique characteristics and aspirations of the area. By integrating principles such as Ki Tua, which emphasizes spiritual and ancestral connections, the designs aim to create spaces that contribute to a sense of belonging and cultural identity in Auckland's urban landscape.

Learning Module 1

Introduction

  • In this kaupapa take you will develop an understanding of place and site. You will do this through collaborative and individual site research and initial design responses. These will work across scales identifying what socio-cultural and ecological responses can an architect make from the neighbourhood, the precinct to the site. Research through a multi-scalar lens allows us to bring together strategic (top-down) and tactical (bottom-up) responses that address the specific opportunities and conflicts within place. We begin this work with the intent of being just designers who support equitable outcomes in the built and natural environment. 

  • The challenge for our studio is how public land can be used as a catalyst for this neighbourhood and enable change to be in good relation to place, people and all living beings. 

  • Working through the Eke Panuku's Panmure Masterplan you will identify actions to enact at the scale of a neighbourhood, precinct and building site. You will test these initial positions through a conceptual design to address and implement a just transition through urban design and architecture.

  • Deliverables: In this kaupapa take you will generate initial site research to identify key actions, opportunities, conflicts and communities to test through a concept design proposition. This will be developed in assessment 2 through additional site synthesis, a developed design and the presentation of work through select forms of media. This semester we have integrated ARCH603 (Ecologies) into our wānanga. You will use knowledge across courses to deepen socio-ecological, tectonic and disciplinary understandings of architecture and apply them to relevant assessments.