A collaboration between mana whenua design lead Tihei, landscape architects Warren and Mahoney, the Council, and construction partner LT McGuinness, the square’s new design builds on the overall concept of returning te taiao, the living environment, to the area.

Te Ngākau was once a coastal landscape fed by the freshwater awa (streams), Waikoukou and Waimāpihi. While Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui’s design takes inspiration from the flora and fauna of the forest floor, Rangi Kipa of Tihei says the square’s design is “guided by the flow of awa that once ran through the area, and therefore the flow of history as we return the mauri of te taiao to the precinct”.