2016. Site Location: Kapiti Coast, NZ  

Client: Horowhenua Community in conjunction with VUW

Type: Community Project, Responding to sea-level rise across rural communities with coastal townships

The Tahamata Farm Block is steeped in rich cultural and ecological history. The Pa fortifications that once dominated the land defended this soil from conquerors and invaders. 

Today the land faces a new foe, the rapid and destructive force of sea-level rise. It is apparent that the considerable risk from rising sea-levels on this coastal farmland would suggest a significant portion of the economic and productivity of this land will be significantly damaged. In order to protect this fragile land we must choose to utilize this threat into an advantage. 

The main concept of this proposal is to protect the land though expanding the existing wetland wall and manipulating elements of the terrain to create defenses. These were intended to provide new space to protect the cultural crop yields inspired by the precolonial period. Creating new habitats that can support future indirect economic benefits that would bring new visitors to the Horowhenua Ecological Retreat and was also a key element to this project. 

Exhibited at the Horowhenua Sealevel Rise Response Exhibition 2016