Viaduct Harbour | Te Mata Topaki

Te Mata Topaki — “To hover over the headland”

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei artist Graham Tipene joined architectural studio Land Lab on this design journey, evolving from a simple wharf on paper into the dramatic form we witnessed at this morning’s whakamānawa.

Representing a taurapa (the stern of a waka) lying on its side, the structure commissioned by Viaduct Harbour Holdings is designed to enhance the public’s connection to the water from its Waitematā Plaza location.

The name, Te Mata Topaki — meaning ‘to hover over the headland’ — is a clue as to the experience it sets out to create.

Thank you whanau Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei