Te Whare o te Ao Hou

Abstract

This thesis explores how architecture can hold space for the return of sovereignty through birthing, bathing, and healing. Grounded in a kaupapa Māori perspective and situated in Ōpōtiki, Te Whare o te Ao Hou imagines a place where care, presence, and connection to land guide the design of intimate, liminal spaces. It considers how thresholds, materiality, and spatial flow can nurture moments of renewal, allowing the body, spirit, and community to reclaim agency. Through site analysis, case studies, and iterative design, the project demonstrates how culturally informed architecture can restore autonomy, honour whakapapa, and create environments where wellbeing, the rhythms of land, and the return of sovereignty coexist.