The Tapu Te Ranga Marae is a "living" Marae located in Island Bay, Wellington, NZ.  A Marae is a commuity centre where Maori can come together and celebrate their culture. Bruce Stewart, the owner of the land, is looking to build a Maori community consisting of three housing typologies for families who share similar values of ecological and cultural preservation.

The proposed scheme is based on the Maori legend of Whaitere the Enchanted Stingray.  The Story is about working and living together in harmony and not degrading the environment in which we inhabit.

The following drawings depict housing typology A. It is constructed from corten steel, which is made from 70% recycled material that is locally sourced and Matai weatherboards. The form of the house references the traditional Maori meeting house and organizes the internal spaces in terms of Tapu (male) and Noa (female), separating functions based on Maori cultural traditions. This language between Tapu and Noa is also articulated in the exterior form, playing the masculine angles against the feminine curves.