Te Whaihanga wins Commonwealth award

Te Whaihanga, a project aimed at preparing built environment students to work with Māori, has won a Commonwealth Association of Planners award.

Tuia Pito Ora, New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects participated in the project along with lecturers from Unitec, Victoria University, Lincoln University and Nga Aho members.

Te Whaihanga won the equity category, with judges saying the model could be adapted to many Commonwealth countries.

Auckland Council adopted the programme for in-house staff training. Dr Di Menzies, who participated in developing the training, says other organisations and smaller design studios could also find it useful.

“Places like Boffa Miskell, Isthmus and Jasmax already have their own in-house practitioners but smaller places could benefit from it,” Dr Menzies says. “It’s a good demonstration of what’s been happening in New Zealand, we’ve been leading the way.”

“Being able to understand if you’re not Māori how you might engage with Māori when you’re doing projects is vital for landscape architects.”

Te Whaihanga has a range of teaching resources specifically for students studying architecture, planning and engineering. It’s aim is to ensure future generations are better prepared to work with Māori professionals, iwi representatives and community and papakāinga developers in their day-to-day work. 

CAP award judges said many planning systems across the Commonwealth are legacies of the colonial era. As such they paid scant regard to the values and culture of indigenous peoples. Training and practice rendered many planners blind to this inequity, the judges said, and to its discriminatory consequences. 

“In New Zealand, Māori remain a disadvantaged group. The Te Whaihanga project is a multi-faceted training project that is building the capacity of planners and other built environment professionals to engage with Māori and build a long term relationship.”

So far 500 planners, built environment professionals and students have completed the training. 

The CAP Awards are about championing the best examples of planning practice in the Commonwealth. They’re about demonstrating the valuable role that planners and planning have in the Commonwealth in helping to create resilient and sustainable communities and adequate shelter for all.