Chris Bailey (Ngāti Pāoa, Te Aupouri)

‘Ngā Pou Atua,’ five Totara pou by senior sculptor Chris Bailey (Ngāti Pāoa, Te Aupouri), one of our mana whenua design partners, has recently been unveiled on the rooftop at Queens Rooftop and Wineshop in Commercial Bay, One Queen Street. Occupying the rooftop, ‘Ngā Pou Atua’ is placed in an extraordinary location, visible from Queens Rooftop, the eatery with the best view in Tāmaki, adorning the skyline and clearly visible from the Waitematā Harbour.

‘Ngā Pou Atua,’ meaning ‘carvings that connect us with the heavens,’ encompasses the elements that unify us as humans, such as whānau, loved ones, grief, loss, and celebration of new life. These ideas of connection and the strength in community embody the essence of Aukaha, a powerful pūtake (narrative) we have woven into the heart of this kaupapa. Aukaha are the bindings that strap the waka together and symbolise strength in unity, reflecting the convergence of whenua (land) and moana (sea), and the power of working collaboratively.

*‘Ngā Pou Atua’ * sits amongst a planting pattern designed by Bailey of ‘taki toru,’ a traditional Māori binding pattern symbolic of the kaupapa of 'embracing visitors as whānau' and extending manaakitanga (hospitality and care) to guests from across the globe. The rooftop planting forms a whāriki (woven mat), finishing the building.

The pou have been treated with a traditional Japanese shou sugi ban charred finish, which both hardens the timber and provides a weatherproof and protective coat.

The engineering and installation were meticulously executed and concluded with a karakia led by Bailey, clearing this tohu Māori and passing it to its new owners.

In 2022, Precinct Properties asked Coupland Cormack to curate a collection of site-responsive mahi toi for the public and private spaces at One Queen Street. The One Queen Street kaupapa includes commissioned mahi toi by our four mana whenua design partners alongside works by leading contemporary artists from Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Australia.

One Queen Street, the Deloitte Centre, is a Precinct Properties development with architecture by Warren & Mahoney, interior design by Technē, and home to the luxury InterContinental Hotel.

Images courtesy of the artist.