Last year Te Rau Karamua Marae at Massey University’s Wellington Campus was the Interior Awards, Supreme Winner. 

This 7-year project resulted in a cultural hub unlike anything we have seen before in New Zealand and the accolades came pouring in.

The design of the wharenui ‘Te Whaioranga o Te Whaiao’ relates to a defined area within Te Waonui and focused on the roles of atua such as Tāne Whakapiripiri and Hinewaonui in the creation of Te Rakau Tipua - the cosmic tree. This speaks of the connections to all things, which may be experienced by those who enter under its canopy and into its embrace.

Careful attention to manaakitanga resulted in quality finishes, details and materials being selected. One of which was the flooring.

The Marae on the University Campus serves as a retreat from urban life, a centre point to reconnect with Maori culture and heritage.

It was fitting that the flooring selected to form the foundations of this building is called Urban Retreat. This Biophilic inspired carpet tile collection from Interface resembles the way nature takes over the urban landscape when given the opportunity, returning it to its natural form. The merging of stone and concrete textures with that of moss, grass and Ivy creates a symbolic visual connection between nature and culture, both modern and traditional.

For the forest floor, the colours Stone, Ivy and Grass were selected and were woven across the floor in an intricate pattern, utilising the transitional detail of the central tile to seamlessly merge between the two colours. This high pile, tufted textured loop carpet tile provides a warm, soft, textural experience for those that walk, sit and sleep on the floor, forming a grounding point.

All materials in this space work together in beautiful harmony, resulting in a sense of belonging, connecting us to our tupuna.

Congratulations to all involved in this award-winning project.

Thank you for choosing Carbon Neutral Floor finishes by Interface and Forbo.