Pacific Heart of the City

Te Toka O Apihai Te Kawau is a large, grey stone boulder sitting near the edge of the Auckland waterfront. It marks the precise spot where Chief Apihai Te Kawau of Ngati Whatua landed in eighteen forty to meet the British representatives.…

Takutai Square serves as a paved urban anchor for the Britomart district. It occupies a space that once sat directly on the Waitematā Harbour shoreline before reclamation projects pushed the city edge further out. Today, the square…

Pou Tu te Rangi stands as a thirty-foot tall carved wooden pou, or post, marking the entrance to the Auckland Domain. Its surface displays intricate, deep carvings that depict the history and ancestors of Ngati Whatua O Orakei. The carver,…

Te Komititanga is the public square defined by the swirling, monochromatic stone patterns of its ground plane, laid out to mimic the flow of the harbor tides. This space serves as the primary meeting point between the city and the historic…

The bronze figure of the Maori chieftain stands atop a granite pedestal with his hand extended in a gesture of welcome. This statue honors Te Wherowhero, the first Maori king, whose authority once spanned the region. Carved by sculptor…

Te Wananga juts out over the Waitemata Harbour on a massive timber deck supported by carved piles that mimic the form of a traditional Maori mooring post. It serves as a public space bridging the concrete city edge and the water. When the…

Te Wharekura stands out for its curved, weathered copper roof that rises above the surrounding concrete of Auckland Central. This building serves as a contemporary center for Māori knowledge and learning. Architects designed the structure…

Kura Gallery features a prominent, floor-to-ceiling glass storefront that displays carved wooden sculptures alongside contemporary paintings. This space serves as a dedicated showcase for Maori artists and craftspeople from across New…