How to Prep a Hāngī: A Framework for End User Engagement Within the Design Process

Observations over recent years of New Zealand architectural practice indicate that there is growing interest in tikanga Māori in architecture and design practice.  With significant opportunities now available to support Māori in realising their housing and infrastructural aspirations, there is much discussion surrounding the role of the architect, and how they conduct themselves when working with mana whenua (partisan identifiable tribal groups who hold customary authority over Māori freehold land).  Most agree that working with mana whenua requires a collaborative approach, added to that, an approach that sees significant end user engagement.  To this affect, end user engagement within the design process is the primary subject of the research.  The largely Māori settlement of Kohupātiki is the proposed site for this research. Given the interests of this research and its focus on Māori communities, it is quite appropriate that Kohupātiki be the selected site to drive this research.  The community is made up of 4 main families; the Rapanas, Chadwicks, Punas, and Broughtons, all of whom have a vested (customary) interest in the site as it is potentially about to undergo significant transformations over the next 10-20 years.  Some of these transformations include the improvement of road access to the site, the development of a series of Papakāinga (housing developments on Māori land), and a number of refurbishments to significant communal facilities located on the site’s Marae settlement.  These developments offer significant opportunities for architectural and landscape intervention, and will serve as a vehicle to drive a participatory design process.