When the bro Graham Tipene grew up in Tāmaki Makaurau, he was surrounded by buildings that didn’t reflect who he was. WATCH INTERVIEW

No Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei patterns.
No visual history.
No sign that his people were here.

So when he graduated as a Tā Moko artist, he made it his mission to change that and worked on incredible mahi at

· Waterview Tunnel
· Auckland Central Library
· Tirohanga Whānui Bridge
· Victoria Park
· And now, the new Matariki Viaduct

Each one now carries the markings of mana whenua. Māori design. Māori memory.

Not just on marae—but in everyday life.
When Graham said,
“I have a dream, and then I find the team…”
That team now includes structural engineers, architects, designers—and us.

Because spaces like this now use Critical. Cleanstone, our low-carbon material made from 100% recycled plastic.

And artists like Graham and Amy Hawke are now creating spaces where their kids can walk through the city and say:

“I see myself here.”

This is what public architecture should do:

· Show us who we are
· Remind us who we come from
· Leave a better story behind for the next generation

If you’re designing public spaces, schools, libraries, parks, or viaducts—ask yourself:

Where in your work can local identity show up?
Are you finding the team?
Or waiting for the system?

Ngā mihi nui Amy Hawke for being the visionary and for bringing us all together on this incredible project.

Jump on criticaldesign.nz to see more Critical’s Cleanstone projects.