Te Tōangaroa Te Punga Oneoneroa Hawaiki Kāinga Tuatahi Kāinga Kaumātua

Setting the benchmark for papa kāinga living

This multi-award-winning development proudly enabled Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei whānau to achieve homeownership and maintain ahi kā.

Kāinga Tuatahi: A benchmark in sustainable, innovative design on iwi land. This multi-award-winning 30-home medium-density development, expertly designed with Stevens Lawson Architects, has garnered significant recognition, notably the 2017 NZIA Auckland Chapter Award for multi-unit housing.

Designed to reflect both the landscape of Tāmaki Makaurau and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Kāinga Tuatahi stands as a point of reference, inspiring iwi developments across Aotearoa.

This papa kāinga housing development is one of the first qualifying projects under HASHA. Designed, developed, and financed by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, its core intention is clear: to empower Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei whānau with the opportunity to purchase their own homes.

Completed in 2016, the homes at Kāinga Tuatahi stand within the original Ōrākei block, just 300 metres from Ōrākei Marae on the Kupe Street ridge line. Every detail was considered in these two, three, and four-bedroom residences.

The aim from the outset was for whānau to have a home to come back to which is dry, healthy, safe, and well designed. Each build includes high levels of insulation, double glazing, cross ventilation of spaces and communal vegetable gardens.

Designed for durability and low maintenance, the buildings also benefit from a long-term sinking fund ensuring future maintenance costs are covered.

A key directive for architects on this project was to maximise natural sunlight in every home. With light levels proven to impact emotional well-being, safety, and the overall comfort of a living space, this was a priority.

Our stories

Papa kāinga isn't about building a house, it is about building a community, safety, jobs, employment, culture and identity.

Ngarimu Blair

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust Deputy Chair

Kāinga Tuatahi defines unique papa kāinga living. It blends sustainable design (including solar panels) with relative affordability, enabling whānau to return to Ōrākei. This reconnection is key to preserving ahi kā: the deep, enduring link between people and the land.