Ngā Mokopuna (formerly known as the Living Pā) is a newly opened 3000m2 mass-timber building. On the ground floor, there is a wharekai, along with gathering spaces, a kitchen and the main ablution facilities. The second floor offers teaching and seminar spaces, and the third houses Te Kawa a Māui – School of Māori Studies, and maraebased executive offices. The brief was to design and build a whare complementary to the marae’s whare tipuna (ancestral carved house and a power teaching tool) and to achieve Living Building Challenge®, Living Building™ certification. The site is long, narrow and steep. At three storeys, the building fills the space between Te Tumu Herenga Waka (the wharenui) and Kelburn Parade. Key design ideas are to: create a filter to the wharenui, allowing for visibility/ protection from the road; create a highly connected interior, vertically and horizontally, supporting connectedness of the marae Māori community; utilise an exposed, mass-timber carbon-sequestering structure; and support the net zero energy and water goals, with a roof design for large PV arrays and external planters for evapotranspiration of greywater and shading. Ngā Mokopuna enhances the visibility of the University’s marae and stands as a beacon of the marae’s values — the main gateway to Te Herenga Waka. The driving kaitiaki philosophy — to protect and nurture the things that we care about the most — invites curiosity about energy systems, water and a Māori world view. Ngā Mokopuna stands as an exemplar of regenerative design in an urban context. For those who worked on the pā — consultants, contractors, subcontractors and suppliers, and also university staff and students — all have been uplifted about sustainable building.

Jury citation:

Craig Moller, Beth Cameron, Nicola Herbst and Ilana Freadman

“This project exemplifies forward-thinking and environmentally responsible design, achieving a Living Building Challenge outcome that sets a new benchmark for sustainable architecture. An innovative, full-timber structure, developed in close collaboration with the engineer, delivers an elegant and pioneering contribution to advancing timber technology. Warm, light-filled interiors are enriched by integrated planter boxes that recycle water, while stormwater harvesting across both buildings and extensive use of solar power underscore a holistic approach to energy and resource conservation. A central atrium with an offset stair fosters openness, connection and movement, with its dynamic planning adding spatial richness to the interior experience. Through a synthesis of architectural ingenuity, environmental responsibility and collaborative expertise, this project exemplifies the future of sustainable buildings.”

Project team:

Ewan Brown, Hugh Tennent, Julie Cook, Caitlyn Lee, Laurice Pipson, Devo Staples, Chris Blanch, Yiwen Seow, Brenda Solon, Kevin Lux, Steve Borgonje, Chloe Coles, Clayton Viljoen, and past employees: Dylan Amery, Robery Paulin, Shannan Lenihan, Ben Tunui, William Creighton, Nadiene McCullough.

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The New Zealand Architecture Awards receive generous support from Resene, a steadfast sponsor of the program since 1991, and APL, which commenced its sponsorship of the awards in 2021.

Architecture NZ reviewed the project in the May 2025 issue.

You can read the article here.