CRL’S PROUD PARTNERSHIP WITH
MANA WHENUA
In 2012, CRL approached mana whenua across Auckland to explain the project and the areas it would travel through and to ascertain their interest to be involved in what would be New Zealand’s largest ever transport infrastructure project. A Mana Whenua forum, comprising representatives from eight iwi, was established and formalised through the project’s consent conditions. Its members include Te Ākitai Waiohua, Te Kawerau a Maki, Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Paoa, Ngāi Tai ki Tamaki, Ngāti Tamaoho, Ngāti Whātua o Orākei and Ngāti Te Ata. The Mana Whenua Forum plays an important partnership role with City Rail Link Limited, providing, amongst other things, valuable input into the design of the CRL stations and the preparation of the many management plans that set out how the environmental effects of construction will be managed. The forum also works collaboratively around built heritage and archaeological matters and undertakes kaitiakitanga (guardianship) responsibilities, including site monitoring, assisting with archaeological discovery procedures and providing input of Māori mātauranga (knowledge) in relevant stages of the project. It is also a forum for consultation with Mana Whenua regarding the final names for the future CRL stations. Mana Whenua have also worked with City Rail Link to adapt and adopt the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia’s (ISCA’s) criteria to reflect the New Zealand cultural context and this work is recognised by ISCA as a world first.
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Paoa ki uta, Paoa ki tai, Paoa ki tua
Nga-ti Maru
Sky
Threshold Earth
Design philosophy
City Rail Link’s design partnership with Mana Whenua has resulted in the incorporation of many cultural references expressed in the architectural narratives of all its stations. The Māori creation story has influenced the CRL station entrances, each telling the story of Ranginui, the sky father, and Papatuanuku, the earth mother. Their close embrace was separated by their son, Tane Mahuta, who in pushing them apart created a world of light and life (Te Ao Marama). Each station entrance emphasises, through the architecture and materials, the relationship between solid earth on the ground and the sky above the entrance. The entrances express the deity identified for each location representing the unique identity of the station. The mana whenua design influence means all CRL stations will look like no others in the world; proudly Auckland and uniquely New Zealand.