The Pā

The University of Waikato in New Zealand is the first mainstream university in the world to redefine the university as a place of bicultural welcome, education, and connection. Establishing a spectacular place of welcome onto the University’s Hamilton campus, The Pā is designed to transform the experience of campus life for students, staff and visitors. A multi-functional facility at the heart of student life, The Pā gathers a Māori ceremonial meeting house (wharenui), the Vice-Chancellor’s Office, a student learning hub, and the Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies beneath an all-encompassing roof known as a whakaruruhau. Its entrance is marked by a carved gateway (waharoa) and gathering space (ātea) for ceremonial events and formal welcomes (pōwhiri) onto the campus. The project forms the most ambitious project in the University’s 60-year history and supports its aim to provide an authentic and immersive bicultural tertiary education experience to all students. The University of Waikato’s Hamilton campus is strategically situated on Hillcrest Ridge, a place known as Karipūkau, once densely forested in native trees. Acknowledging the memory of this historic forest, and the wetlands which once surrounded the ridge, The Pā is constructed from massive timber columns and beams supporting the majestic whakaruruhau. Adopting the indigenous architectural form of a traditional meeting house and adapting structural elements to generate a contemporary design, the roof of The Pā is generated from the ridge beam (tāhūhū) of a wharenui, however the timber rafters (heke) extend upward and outward beyond the traditional meeting space, encompassing all spaces which shelter beneath. The interior spaces of The Pā are designed for versatility and adaptability, accommodating functions such as graduations, cultural performances, conferences and events. The project also includes restoration the original building on campus – the A Block – now home to the Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies, which overlooks the student hub and performance stage. The project also unlocks the concept of a ‘Connected Campus’ establishing a universally accessible link between The Pā and the surrounding academic heart of the campus, through the addition of a new lift and covered walkway which accesses and protects entry levels of numerous academic buildings. A co-design process, which extended to consultation with leaders of the Kīngitanga (the Māori King movement) and the tribal communities of Waikato-Tainui, was key to the success of the project. Through this process of engagement, over 30 carvers and weavers were involved in conceptualising the cultural artworks and thresholds, delivering a clear and powerful narrative throughout the complex that draws on history, heritage, and cultural identity to create an inspirational and inclusive learning environment for all.