Join us for the first Ockham Lecture of 2025 – a deep dive into the evolution of marae with Rau Hoskins.

With three decades of experience working as a practitioner, researcher and educator in the field of Māori architecture, housing, and cultural landscape design, Hoskins will discuss three case studies and what they express about the innovation of marae in Aotearoa.

Hoskins introduces his kōrero: “The design and use of marae have been continually adapted since the arrival of tūpuna in Aotearoa over 40 generations ago with the pace of adaptation having accelerated in the last 60 years with the advent of urban and institutional marae. 

As the most important cultural institution in Māori society the design of new marae is tightly governed by kuia and kaumātua who generally regulate the pace of change and sign off any innovations proposed by the marae committee, architect and/or tohunga whakairo. While the core of marae in Aotearoa remains the whare nui and associated marae ātea as tapu or restricted spaces, the relationship of these areas to secondary mahau (porches) cooking, dining, ablutions and other noa (common) spaces continues to change and develop to meet the needs of hapū, iwi and hāpori Māori. 

Commecing with our marae origins in Te Moana Nui, this kōrero explores the development of three particular institutional marae, the Pā at the University of Waikato, the Papamauri facility at the Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility and Ngā Tauira at the University of Auckland as key sites of innovation.”

Registration is essential for this free event.

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Rau Hoskins (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hau, Ngāti Hao, Ngāti Rahiri) is a practitioner, researcher and educator working in the field of Māori architecture, housing and cultural landscape design. Over the last 30 years he has worked extensively across kaupapa Māori design, iwi engagement, urban design, Māori heritage, cultural and educational design consultancy. 

Hoskins was born in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and raised in Whangārei before attending Waipapa Taumata Rau The University of Auckland to complete bachelors and masters degrees in architecture. He is a founding Director of designTRIBE architects which specialises in the field of Māori architecture particularly within cultural / marae, civic, visitor, health, urban design, educational and papakāinga environments.

Hoskins has been a member of the Auckland Council Urban Design Panel, TRC Urban Design Panel, and continues to work with Auckland Council, Eke Pānuku, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, TRC and Kāinga Ora on the application of mana whenua design principles in a range of high profile urban design projects. He is a board member and Māori Heritage Council Member of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, a former board member of Te Matapihi he Tirohanga mo te Iwi national Māori housing network and was founding Chairperson from 2011 – 2020. He is also the Chair of Toi Ngāpuhi. Rau is one of the creators of the Te Aranga Design Principles which are utilised both nationally and internationally to guide engagements with Indigenous peoples in public realm projects.

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The Ockham Lecture series is an annual programme of lectures and panel discussions across different themes that critically engage with craft, design and architecture. This programme is supported by Objectspace's Lead Partner Ockham Residential.