Vercoe, SonnyHōete, AnthonyIngham, JasonBeskhyroun, Sherif2026-02-252026-02-252026-02-24International Journal of Architectural Heritage, ISSN: 1558-3058 (Print); 1558-3066 (Online), Taylor and Francis Group. doi: 10.1080/15583058.2025.25980351558-30581558-3066http://hdl.handle.net/10292/20675Testing was undertaken to investigate the viability of a traditional Māori post-tensioned construction technique that incorporated modern glue-lamination manufacturing to withstand seismic loadings. A feature of the form-fit connections was that the timber members were seated into pockets. A companion numerical model was developed to confirm aspects not readily measured in the field. Vertical loading was applied at the apex via water-filled containers. Seismic loading was simulated by applying a horizontal loading system at the apex via a winch and quick-release system, involving seven pseudo-static semi-cyclic tests followed by three snap-back tests. It was established that member demands remained within capacity, that apex vertical and horizontal displacements remained within code-defined deflection limits, and that the measured damping was 7.3%. Findings are also reported for mode shapes and joint rotational stiffness. Novel aspects of the reported research included full-scale field testing at a remote site, collaborations with the local indigenous Māori community, the incorporation of both traditional and modern post-tensioned timber construction techniques, and the intentional use of a methodology for simulated loading which could be undertaken within a community setting.© 2026 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.1201 Architecture1202 Building2102 Curatorial and Related Studies3301 Architecture4005 Civil engineering4302 Heritage, archive and museum studiesFull-scale field testindigenous Māori constructionnumerical model calibrationpost-tensioned timber portal framesimulated seismic responsesnap back testingJournal ArticleOpenAccess10.1080/15583058.2025.2598035