Max Young from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, Te Kura Waihanga—School of Architecture is a finalist for his project 'Ngā Pūrākau: On the Many Stories of Wood'.
Project description
Pūrākau, the Māori term for stories that embody mātauranga (traditional knowledge), translates literally as ‘core of the tree.’ Trees tell the diverse stories of a place through living connection with ecologies, as well as the stories of people through the expression of wood in our built environment.
Timber architecture in New Zealand, often branded ‘sustainable,’ is often predicated on an extractive, monocultured, exotic forestry industry that invades and erodes our landscape for overseas commercial gain. A maintenance-based, reciprocal relationship with Aotearoa’s own unique forests is needed. This work explores a contemporary architectural expression of indigenous timbers that reflects this relationship. Design and craft are guided by an ethos of care for the mauri (well-being) of timber as a material extension of the forest. The project seeks to express the varied stories of recycled material, wind thrown trees, and planted, regenerating, or old-growth forests that are sustainably harvested, therefore encouraging a better relationship with nature.
