Whakauae affiliated students Jordan Tane and Tomairangi Morgan have taken home two prestigious accolades at this year's Best Awards, securing Gold in the Toitanga category and Bronze for Social Good. Their winning project entitled Tō Mātou Kāinga, Tō Mātou Ūkaipō, presents a powerful reflection on how whānau Māori express their ideas of home, keeping Māoritanga and mātauranga at the core of the design. Presented by The Designers Institute of New Zealand, the Best Design Awards is an annual celebration of outstanding achievements across graphic, spatial, product, digital, and motion design. The event also features three special honours: the Value of Design, Public Good, and Toitanga awards.
The design outputs - artefacts created by Jordan Tane - were inspired by data collected from Whakauae Research Services' original research from the Kia Puāwai project ‘Tō mātou kāinga, tō mātou ūkaipō Whānau conceptions of home: supporting flourishing home environments’, with participants ranging from rangatahi to kaumātua.
The two Māori creatives – both students from Auckland University of Technology (AUT) - worked with the research kōrero and in conjunction with Whakauae researchers and AUT lecturers from Good Health Design, to bring fresh perspectives to the data from their backgrounds in arts, writing, poetry, creative design, and Te Reo Māori.
The winning project explores the concept of home for Māori, which extends beyond physical space to encompass feelings, relationships, and cultural connection. Through storytelling and design the project reflects the lived experiences of whānau Māori, with a focus on creating healthier, safer home environments.
Each artefact represents a unique pūrākau, or story, about home. From seeing home as a person, to envisioning ideal homes, the designs encapsulate both individual and collective interpretations of what a healthy, safe home means for Māori. The artefacts work together as a collective narrative, offering a vision for reclaiming and re-indigenising the concept of home in a post-colonial society.
Judges praised the project for its profound connection to Māori knowledge and its ability to translate research into tangible, beautifully crafted representations of whānau Māori perceptions of home. The project not only contributes to the cultural dialogue surrounding Māori housing but also provides a practical framework for change, supporting whānau in reclaiming their narratives and future.
For more information go to: Tō Mātou Kāinga, Tō Mātou Ūkaipō | Best Awards
Whakauae affiliated students Jordan Tane and Tomairangi Morgan have taken home two prestigious accolades at this year's Best Awards, securing Gold in the Toitanga category and Bronze for Social Good. Their winning project entitled Tō Mātou Kāinga, Tō Mātou Ūkaipō, presents a powerful reflection on how whānau Māori express their ideas of home, keeping Māoritanga and mātauranga at the core of the design. Presented by The Designers Institute of New Zealand, the Best Design Awards is an annual celebration of outstanding achievements across graphic, spatial, product, digital, and motion design. The event also features three special honours: the Value of Design, Public Good, and Toitanga awards.
The design outputs - artefacts created by Jordan Tane - were inspired by data collected from Whakauae Research Services' original research from the Kia Puāwai project ‘Tō mātou kāinga, tō mātou ūkaipō Whānau conceptions of home: supporting flourishing home environments’, with participants ranging from rangatahi to kaumātua.
The two Māori creatives – both students from Auckland University of Technology (AUT) - worked with the research kōrero and in conjunction with Whakauae researchers and AUT lecturers from Good Health Design, to bring fresh perspectives to the data from their backgrounds in arts, writing, poetry, creative design, and Te Reo Māori.
The winning project explores the concept of home for Māori, which extends beyond physical space to encompass feelings, relationships, and cultural connection. Through storytelling and design the project reflects the lived experiences of whānau Māori, with a focus on creating healthier, safer home environments.
Each artefact represents a unique pūrākau, or story, about home. From seeing home as a person, to envisioning ideal homes, the designs encapsulate both individual and collective interpretations of what a healthy, safe home means for Māori. The artefacts work together as a collective narrative, offering a vision for reclaiming and re-indigenising the concept of home in a post-colonial society.
Judges praised the project for its profound connection to Māori knowledge and its ability to translate research into tangible, beautifully crafted representations of whānau Māori perceptions of home. The project not only contributes to the cultural dialogue surrounding Māori housing but also provides a practical framework for change, supporting whānau in reclaiming their narratives and future.
For more information go to: Tō Mātou Kāinga, Tō Mātou Ūkaipō | Best Awards
