This project, a partnership between the Waikato-Tainui iwi and the New Zealand Police, represents a paradigm shift for the delivery of civic architecture. A myriad of design intentions has created a built form that is a layered, creative and a playful tapestry of architectonics. Formed between two pavilions, the building entry opens to the public, offering full-height windows for transparency and disguising security elements in garden ornamentation. This creates an inviting and welcoming public presence that reflects a new approach to policing. Waikato-Tainui iwi narratives, artwork and a varied material palette (including recycled materials from previous buildings on site) are at the forefront of the architectural execution. They soften the institutional functionality of the building, further enabling community engagement and wellbeing, and help resolve a contentious site with a complex history.