January 31, 2024
Māori perspective needed in urban housing development
A geographer at Otago University’s Centre for Sustainable Cities says incorporating indigenous concepts could improve well being for residents of new housing developments.
Guy Penny from Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa, is the university’s Māori lead in its public housing and urban regeneration programme.He helped develop a culturally responsive model which brings concepts like whakawhanaungatanga, wairuatanga, whanau, kainga, and tikanga into mainstream urban design thinking.
“There are practitioners out thee, Māori architects and others working in this space but when you look at the larger volume-builders and the public housing sector it’s difficult to get a Maori perspective into that area. Our mahi has been trying to create a model or a framework,” he says.
Mr Penny says incorporating Māori identity and cultural landscapes into urban design through things like naming policies will support Māori well being.