Year: 2021 - 2022
Status: Build Complete
Client: Waka Kotahi (New Zealand Transport Agency) in collaboration with Ngāti Rāhiri-Ngāti Kawa
Location: State Highway 10, Puketona, Northland
Type: Landscape
Construction Cost: $12.9million
Discipline: Kaupapa Māori design (landscape design, cultural narrative integration)

Description: He mihi nui ki a Ngāti Rāhiri-Ngāti Kawa hapū i tō koutou whakapono mai ki a mātou ki tēnei kaupapa, hei mahitahi ki a koutou me te whakatinana i ō koutou kōrero, whakaaro hoki ki te kaupapa nei. Tēnā rā koutou katoa.

The Puketona Junction roundabout that joins SH10 and SH11 was part of a road intersection safety improvement project, led by Waka Kotahi - New Zealand Transport Agency.

Our team was approached by Ngāti Rāhiri-Ngāti Kawa to assist in integrating their kōrero relating to the site, and working collaboratively with them and Waka Kotahi to generate landscape design concepts appropriate for this project.

This included close collaboration with hapū kaikōrero and kaimahi to identify locally-relevant and appropriate landscape materials, whilst working within the technical requirements for the design of the roundabout from Waka Kotahi.

The tuna signify its importance as a food source in the area, but also is a migratory species that would travel along the Waiaruhe awa, connecting to the Waitangi awa at Puketona and exiting at the Waitangi awa at Te Tii in Waitangi.

Images courtesy of Waka Kotahi - New Zealand Transport Agency