A plan to improve homes and whānau wellbeing across western Porirua has won national recognition at the 2026 Resene New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects Awards.
Te Āhuru Mōwai’s Vision Framework, developed with Isthmus Group, received an Award of Excellence in the Master Planning and Urban Design Strategy category at the awards in Christchurch on 5 November.
The framework puts the needs of whānau and their neighbourhoods at the centre of housing regeneration. It was commissioned to guide better-quality homes and wider community wellbeing, rather than simply identify where more buildings could fit.
Te Āhuru Mōwai was established by Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira through a partnership with the Government in October 2020. The registered community housing provider now manages more than 950 homes, including properties in Tītahi Bay, Takapūwāhia, Elsdon, Mana and Tawa.
Its work combines the maintenance of warm, dry homes with support for tenants and partnerships with other community organisations. The provider’s name, meaning a sheltering haven, was gifted by Tā Matiu Rei.
The award judges praised the framework’s grounding in kaupapa Māori, with whenua, whānau wellbeing and mātauranga Māori shaping its approach. They described the iwi partnership as authentic, while noting that delivery would be the real test of its effect on the landscape over time.
Isthmus developed the approach through wānanga with Te Āhuru Mōwai staff and hui involving councils, housing organisations and government agencies. Staff knowledge of tenants’ everyday lives helped identify priorities and possibilities.
The resulting framework is built around Te Whare Tapa Whā, the Māori model of wellbeing. Its actions extend beyond housing regeneration to liveable communities, technology and economic opportunities.
Five fictional characters, drawn from community insights, were used to explore different needs across age groups and neighbourhoods. They are planning tools, not accounts of named tenants.
Isthmus landscape architect and urban designer James Pattullo received the award for the company’s work. The project had previously won national and Wellington planning and urban design awards from the New Zealand Institute of Architects in 2024.
The framework is intended to guide mixed-tenure development and create opportunities for local people to train and work on future homes and infrastructure. The award recognises the planning approach; it does not mark the completion of that work.