Whitipoua

LAND311 is a third-year design studio focused on developing a landscape architecture vision for the Wairarapa region, in partnership with the local Māori iwi (indigenous tribe). Its distinctive learning objectives are to master multi-scalar thinking and adopt an Indigenous worldview. Students begin with a regional analysis to develop a strategic framework, then test this framework on multiple sites at a district level, before selecting one site for detailed design development down to a 1:20 construction scale. This iterative process, moving from broad strategy to detailed resolution and back again, scaffolds students’ ability to manage complex, real-world issues like climate change, cultural heritage, and urban growth within a cohesive design narrative. The course project, 'Ko Wairarapa Tātou', challenges students to produce technically resolved and culturally resonant designs. Ananda Acharya’s design, Whitipoua, the Outsider's Journey, reimagines the Whitipoua Bridge site as a place of cultural rediscovery. Guided by the Te Whare Tapa Whā health and wellbeing Māori model, the design seeks to amplify local Māori narratives and art, weaving history with play. The key idea is to create a multi-layered atmosphere where organic, natural structures encourage reconnection with the land and its indigenous roots. Its distinctive attributes are the powerful, almost mystical quality of the renders, and the successful creation of a dual-purpose space that is both a sacred cultural landmark and a playful community asset.