Te Kōmanawa Rowley School is a place of rich cultural diversity, where children from many backgrounds come together to learn and play. However, the school’s outdoor spaces didn’t fully reflect this vibrant community or its deep connection to the land. The goal was to create a landscape that wasn’t just functional, but one that told a story - of the people, the whenua (land) and then identities woven into the school’s fabric. Rather than imposing a design, we developed a collaborative design approach, working with tamariki to explore their relationship with place, uncover cultural narratives and shape a landscape that reflects both their present experiences and the stories that came before them.

Bringing Stories to Life Through Co-Design
Through hands-on workshops, children became active participants in shaping their school environment. They sketched, built models and tested ideas, offering insights that were both creative and deeply practical. But more than that, they engaged in a process of discovery - exploring the stories of the whenua, their own cultural perspectives and they way these elements could be woven into design. This wasn’t just consultation, it was genuine collaboration, where tamariki shaped not just the spaces but their connection to them.

A Landscape That Reflects Its Community
By listening to the tamariki, the design became a true reflection of their needs, aspirations and the layered histories of the site. Key elements included:

Spaces for gathering and connection: recognising the school’s cultural diversity and embedding traditions of storytelling, learning and shared experiences.
Play areas that encourage exploration: designed to reflect how children naturally move and interact, not just how adults think they do.
A greener, more inviting environment: responding to a strong desire for shade, nature, and spaces that echo contemporary needs (active and passive play) as well as traditional relationships with the whenua.

Building a Lasting Connection Between People and Place
One of the most powerful outcomes of the project was the sense of ownership the children felt over the space. By being involved from the start, they weren’t just users of the landscape, they were its storytellers and caretakers. This not only fosters a stronger connection to their school environment, but also strengthens their understanding of the land as a living entity - one that carries meaning from past to present and into the future.

Designing Spaces That Keep Stories Alive
Te Kōmanawa Rowley School’s project demonstrates the power of co-design in landscape architecture. When tamariki are given the opportunity to contribute, they bring fresh perspectives that result in richer, more meaningful spaces. This approach is not just about better design, it’s about empowering communities to shape their own environments in ways that truly work for them.