Safe, secure homes grounded in culture at Hopuhopu Papakaainga
At a glance
“Kia tupu, kia hua, kia puaawai” (to grow, prosper and sustain) guides how Waikato Tainui think about their land, their people and the future they are creating together. That vision is being realised through Hopuhopu Papakaainga, a Maaori community housing development that provides safe, secure homes for whaanau (families), while strengthening connection to the whenua (land), the awa (river) and cultural identity.
Phase One returns reacquired land to purposeful use and will deliver 57 new whare (homes) for whaanau to raise their children. Success here is defined by more than housing. It is about a whaanau‑centred community that reflects Kiingitanga values (the principles of the Maaori King Movement) and supports wellbeing now and into the future.
To bring this to life, Waikato Tainui sought a landscape architecture team that shared this kaupapa - able to respond to place, culture and community in a way that reflects their aspirations.
The challenge
Hopuhopu was previously an active military camp until 1989, before being returned to Waikato Tainui in 1993. Its return created a significant opportunity, alongside a responsibility to restore the land in a way that honoured its history, strengthened cultural identity and met genuine housing needs.
The challenge was to create a place‑based, culturally grounded community where social, environmental and cultural outcomes could be delivered together. The project needed to show how Maaori values, community‑led design and landscape architecture could shape a papakaainga that supports long‑term wellbeing for both people and place.
Our response
Our Landscape Architecture team engaged early and worked closely with Kahu Creative, Waikato Tainui Raupatu Lands Trust, Tika Group (Project Management), the build partners and the wider consultant team. We helped lead the landscape design for Phase One from preliminary concept through to Issue for Construction, with a clear focus on tenant needs and Waikato Tainui’s aspirations.
Guided by Kahu Creative, the approach brought Maatauranga Maaori together with sustainable best practice. We aligned cultural values with environmental outcomes and practical delivery through an integrated design response. Working closely with civil engineers and ecologists, we developed planting and landscape solutions that met consent requirements, restored indigenous biodiversity and strengthened connections to the whenua (land) and awa (river).
A key part of our contribution was the development of an Aspiration Matrix. This practical decision making tool helped prioritise design elements and set achievable targets aligned with budget, resources and long term capability. It gave Waikato Tainui and the project team a clear way to guide choices as the design evolved, while staying true to the project’s core vision.
We also supported the wider Hopuhopu programme through multidisciplinary services delivered as part of a coordinated effort grounded in the same values-led, place-based approach. This included structural sign-off for the amenities and maintenance buildings, development of the Construction Noise and Vibration Management Plan for Phase One, and a Fire Compliance Review for the Hopuhopu hangar.
The impact
Hopuhopu Papakaainga is currently under construction. Phase One will deliver 57 new homes for whaanau and set a foundation for lasting social, cultural and environmental outcomes.
Beyond Phase One, the project establishes a repeatable, values led design approach that can be applied to future housing developments across Waikato Tainui land.
The result is a papakaainga model that strengthens cultural identity, restores the natural environment and supports healthier, more connected communities. By placing people, place and Maatauranga Maaori at the centre of the design process, we are helping deliver housing outcomes that support wellbeing for generations to come.