Description:

Starship Foundation were bequeathed a gift to fund a new research centre to accelerate world-class health for all tamariki in Aotearoa. This included the refurbishment of a 1970’s three-story building for Starship Foundation, Clinical Research and Tele Health. The purpose of the space is to foster research, innovation, collaboration, and education for the betterment of children and whānau in Aotearoa. The building promotes a strong research culture, aiding Starship in enhancing clinical pathways and testing new services.

Starship, were gifted a pūrākau by Dame Naida Glavish (Ngāti Whātua). The pūrākau tells a story of the pīpīwharauroa laying and gifting its eggs into the riroriro bird’s nest, for the riroriro bird to nurture and care for, as it would its own. This pūrākau resonates with Starship in the sense of whānau leaving their tamariki in Starships care, to care for and nurture. This pūrākau forms as a basis and seed to carry this project.

To collate and articulate the information gifted by NWŌ, TOA created a narrative sketch forming as a basis/seed to carry the project. This enables TOA to create concepts which speak to Te Ao Māori values through which acknowledge and contextualise the narratives of iwi.

Whiti Ora has been extremely successful in, the facility is constantly booked with events, including graduation ceremonies, pōwhiri for new staff, donors and visitors, workshops and strategic planning for hospital leadership, art exhibitions created by Starship children to raise funds for the hospital and educational seminars focused on research and innovation to ensure Starship can attract the best and brightest medical staff.