Toitanga

Forge Creative 3 Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities (BBHTC) He Kāinga Whakamana Tangata, Whakamana Taiao

Finalist
2024 Toitanga
Credits
  • Pou Taketake / Cultural Leads
    Anānia Te Nana, Rihi Te Nana
  • Ringatoi Matua / Design Director
    Bond Te
  • Ngā Kaimahi / Team Members
    Aya Ogihara, Roger McSaveney, Max Uak, Megan McNaughton, Gary Cross
  • Kaitautoko / Contributors
    Piata Gardiner-Hoskins, Te Rauhiringa Brown, Rihana Te Nana, Ruth Berry
  • Client
    Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities
Description:

Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities (BBHTC) He Kāinga Whakamana Tangata, Whakamana Taiao, is one of 11 National Science Challenges initiated by the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment. BBHTC is investing in research that serves to harmonise people and their communities with living spaces that meet the diverse needs of the people of Aotearoa.

We were asked to improve their website user experiences and uplift the look of their visual communications while honouring their commitment as a Te Tīriti o Waitangi based organisation.

Collaborating with their Tangata Whenua, Tangata Tīriti, Project Manager and Māori Development Advisor and a Māori illustrator, it was agreed that the Poutama is the best representation of what the organisation is all about.

A published resource by BBHTC may take a tremendous amount of effort from multiple researchers/scientists with studies, research and peer-reviews before it is published. This is represented by the top of Poutama that is seen above the surface like the tip of an iceberg, while the larger part of its foundation is unseen beneath the surface.

Combination of layers of Kōwhiti that represent Whakaaro and Mātauranga Māori (thoughts, ideas, knowledge) build the whole Poutama. Just as when a kairaranga adds more kōwhiti, so the pattern grows bigger across the panel.

The key to success for this project lies in the close collaborations among BBHTC Co-Directors, a Project Manager &Māori Development Advisor and Forge. At the core of its purpose, we have improved their website to be much easier for users to find relevant resources, while at the same time, remaining true to the organisation’s commitment to Te Tīriti o Waitangi.