Waka Moana Installation

Waka Moana: A Fusion of Culture, Craft, and Collaboration

About The Project

Waka Moana, the newest public artwork in Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter, is a breathtaking tribute to the maritime traditions of Māori voyagers and the cultural richness of Tāmaki Makaurau. Designed by lead artist Graham Tipene (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Manu), the installation features nine six-metre waka hulls arranged in a striking taratara-a-kae (zig-zag) formation along Daldy Street Linear Park.

The new artwork is part of a wider vision to form a continuous network of publicly accessible green spaces across Auckland’s city centre and waterfront, improving access to nature and the harbour for thousands of Aucklanders and visitors.

Each waka tells a story, of waka hourua (double-hull ocean-going vessels) and waka tētē (local transport and fishing vessels); of taonga (precious items) and punga (traditional anchors); of pā tūwatawata (defensive fencing) and pūhoro (tā moko motifs symbolising speed and agility).

SRS Group was contracted by Auckland Urban Development Office (AUDO) and worked with Graham Tipene, Auckland Council Public Art Team, LandLAB architects, and Engineers to collaboratively create, manufacture and install these mahi toi (artwork).

Our team engineered and installed the towering waka hulls using a fusion of traditional materials such as totara timber with modern composite, ensuring each piece was structurally sound, culturally respectful, and visually stunning.

This project is a powerful example of how collaboration across disciplines, from artists and iwi to engineers and urban designers, can create spaces that connect people to place, history, and each other.