Traditional meets industrial

A new cultural learning centre is being built at the high school next door in a traditional wharenui style. It is already named Te Maatu referring to the "big woods" or forest that covered much of Motueka pre European.

I liked the way the scaffolding reflected the shape of the barge boards. It will serve as a place of debate,learning, unity and peace for the many cultures from around the world that attend the school today.

Marae today are built to modern building standards and it will be interesting to see how how much decoration it has inside and out.
For more on what all the parts of a wharenui stand, for representing a living person, see here.