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Departments/Research
By Jade Kake, Master of Architecture (Prof ) student and he uri o Ngāti Hau
A communal solution
The creation of papakainga, or communal villages, has potential for the social, cultural, economic and environmental regeneration of Maori communities.
ACCESS TO HEALTHY, a ordable and culturally appropriate housing is an ongoing issue faced by many Māori whānau. Overall, Māori have much higher rates of severe housing deprivation than the general population and score poorly on the associated markers of wellbeing such as health, education and employment.
Culturally appropriate housing for Pehiaweri
Culturally appropriate housing that is sensitive to Māori whānau dynamics and responsive to the relationship Māori have with their whenua (land) is scarce.
As part of my nal-year architectural studies, I sought to address aspects of the complex issues associated with housing on Māori land. This was done through the design of a papakāinga (communal village) on my marae, Pehiāweri, in Glenbervie near Whāngarei.
Empowering people to participate in design
The project has been undertaken as participatory action research. This takes the view that the community being researched must be meaningfully engaging in the process and that the work is transformative.
It provided an opportunity to critically interrogate ideas and assumptions regarding the role of the architect and to develop appro- priate modes of practice for working with Māori communities. By taking a community-based approach, the role of architect is reframed
to be one of a skilled facilitator and interpreter. By drawing on their technical, social and cultural expertise, the architect empowers people to participate in the process and take a pivotal role in the design of their own communities.
Combining Maori values and western approach
Theoretically, my thesis seeks to bridge kaupapa Māori research and architectural investigation. A kaupapa Māori approach gives validity to mātauranga (Māori knowledge) and to Māori ways of being and doing.
At the heart of the kaupapa is also the need for research to posi- tively bene t the Māori research community of interest and Māori communities more broadly.
The guiding kaupapa is therefore grounded in Māori values, while the specific methods and techniques draw on western knowledge. An example of this is the use of western participatory design tech- niques, including the site planning kit, within wānanga. Wānanga is a uniquely Māori format for the transfer and co-creation of knowledge that is structured by custom and occurs in a marae-based environment.
Other research methods utilised include the formal analysis of prec- edents through diagramming and the use of interpretive historical research methods, such as archival research, narrative interviews and cultural mapping.
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