The jury’s comment:

“The power of Te Puna Reo o Manga Tangaroa is in the coming together of a community to fund, design and build Aotearoa’s first full-immersion te reo Māori early childhood learning centre. The substance of this project goes way beyond the limitations of the budget and the execution of this humble, cheerful space filled with aroha. Te Puna Reo o Manga Tangaroa highlights the love of a mother for her son and the designers have celebrated that love with the hands-on fabrication of design elements for both whānau and the wider community to take part in. This project transcends the line between design and community, process and product into an ‘act of care’ and it will, hopefully, stir a generation of like-minded small communities to aspire to deliver their own centres for their tamariki.”

PROJECT DETAILS:

Location: Kaikohe

Client: Te Puna Reo o Manga Tangaroa

Building area (m²): 180m²

Project brief: The brief was for a full immersion, kaupapa Māori, Early Childhood Education centre in Kaikohe, Northland. Founder Whaea Clara gifted her whānau home for this project and ĀKAU helped repurpose the whare into a unique, accessible learning environment which stimulates all the senses. The kaupapa was inspired by Whaea Clara’s son Manga Tangaroa who has lifetime disabilities that are seen as extraordinary capabilities. His severe rare brain condition, Holoprosencephaly, means he is unable to walk or talk. The project is unique in that it is fully accessible and tamariki that cannot attend other ECE in the area will have equal access and opportunity.

“This project represents the strength of its community, particularly the clear vision of Whaea Clara and her determination to create an inclusive ECE for Manga Tangaroa and others like him. Community rallied around the project, helping the whānau to raise more than $600,000 to get it built. The ECE will provide a unique kaupapa Māori learning environment for tamariki who cannot attend traditional ECEs. It will support whānau of these special tamariki, strengthening community and sharing the rich mātauranga Māori embedded in the project and its design. The opening powhiri at dawn was packed and the community marvelled in appreciation for the new ECE offering in Kaikohe.” – the ĀKAU team

Credits:

• Project principal – Ana Heremaia
• Architect – Felicity Brenchly
• Pou Toi Māori – Makareta Jahnke
• Designer – Ruby Watson
• Junior designer – Dina Tiare McLeod
• Designer – Symphony Morunga
• Landscape architect – Marita Hunt
• Project manager – Gwena Gilbert
• Facilitator – Mere Taylor-Tuiloma

With thanks to our Interior Awards 2023 sponsors. Find out more about each of our sponsors here.