Description:

‘Te Huringa o te Mana’ is an immersive architectural and ecological intervention that reimagines the power dynamics between humans and birds within the urban landscape of Kent and Cambridge Terrace, Wellington. The site is characterised by colonial structures, gridded roadways, and stormwater infrastructure where natural awa (streams) once flowed. This project offers a counter-narrative that re-centres birdlife, rewilds the site, daylights the Papawai Stream, and invites communities to experience the city from a non-human perspective.

The project comprises three main components: bird-focused habitat zones in Zones A and B followed by an observation tower in Zone C. These elements create a destination for native bird species and a series of experiences where human visitors can observe, reflect, and reconsider their position within this ecology. Rather than relegating birds to the periphery of human-centred spaces, ‘Te Huringa o te Mana’ privileges their presence, needs, and mana (status) to form a spatial gesture that honours more-than-human wellbeing.

Rooted in ecological reciprocity and environmental justice, the proposal challenges anthropocentric norms and offers new modes of seeing and being. Visitors ascend into a tower that positions them at eye level with tree canopies where birds dwell and move. Positioning human viewers within the structure prioritises the agency of local wildlife, reimagining the relationships between the viewer and the observed. The structure hosts a range of facilities to support avian life: nesting boxes for housing, a feeding menu tailored to native birds’ dietary needs, and a bathing area near the feeding zone. A calling station emits mating calls to attract birds, enabling people to observe their behaviours at close range while maintaining a respectful distance.

Tamariki are a core part of this immersive design. The project is intentionally designed to captivate and educate younger generations, inviting them to take on active roles as observers, participants, and future kaitiaki (guardians). Through tactile and interactive encounters with wildlife, the aim is to foster empathy, wonder, and a lifelong sense of responsibility for native birds to embed values of care and protection.

All materials are chosen with sensitivity to light, sound, and environmental impact, ensuring minimal disruption to bird life while enhancing a multisensory human experience. Perforated corten steel is used to filter light through the structure, echoing the dappled patterns of sunlight through tree leaves. This openness also allows for clear visibility and ease of movement for birds. Reclaimed native timbers are used throughout, creating a warm, grounded atmosphere that harmonises with the surrounding landscape.

The concept is deeply informed by the framework of more-than-human wellbeing, which extends ethics of care beyond the human to include ecosystems and spiritual dimensions. Guided by Te Ao Māori understandings of interconnectedness, the project embraces a worldview in which land, water, and living beings hold mauri (life force) and deserve respect.

‘Te Huringa o te Mana’ is a political and poetic response to the ecological violence of urban planning. It calls for a turn to slowing down, looking up, and dwelling in reciprocity, uplifting birds, inspiring children, and reawakening us.