The Pita Te Hori Centre, located on the site of the former King Edward Barracks, is a collaboration between Kamo Marsh Landscape Architects, Warren and Mahoney, and Ngāi Tahu artist Priscilla Cowie for Ngāi Tahu Property Ltd.

Our role included concept design, detailed design, and documentation, with a particular focus on the internal urban park, Ngā Māra a Te Wera (The Gardens

of Te Wera).

The client’s brief was to create a landscape that reflects Ngāi Tahu values while revealing the rich layers of history associated with both Ngāi Tahu and European use of the site. These narratives are expressed through a combination of elegant furniture, bespoke paving, integrated artworks, and interpretive storyboards, all working together to establish a welcoming people-focused space.

Sheltered from the wind and oriented to capture the sun, the urban park has been carefully woven into the wider city fabric. Designed as a place for both building occupants and the public, Ngā Māra a Te Wera offers a unique blend of cultural storytelling, history, and contemporary urban design.

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