2025 Hawkes Bay/Gisborne Architecture Awards Winner
Te Mānia
Te Mānia is a sculptural and immersive architectural response to the enduring presence of Rongokako. Clever, restrained landscaping is integral to the experience. Visitors leave their vehicles behind and move slowly through planting that announces itself quietly — a curated wildness that feels both natural and intentional. This journey draws attention to the body’s scale in relation to the maunga and to the surrounding presence of wai, nestled by the Tukituki awa on one side and lake on the other. The progression recalls the experience of a pōwhiri, awakening the senses and preparing the spirit.The design expresses a striking duality: the Te Mānia Room, clad in weathering steel, draws guests toward a bold, social heart, its dark, womb-like interior lined in waxed raw steel. In contrast, the guest quarters retreat into the hillside — quiet, cave-like forms of concrete that seem to grow from the earth, offering stillness and sanctuary.Together, the architecture and landscape create an experience that is both grounding and transcendent.
- Practice
- Stevens Lawson Architects Ltd
- Category
- Hospitality
- Location
- Gisborne/Hawkes Bay
