Chaytor Street Retaining Wall Artwork-In Progress

In my role as Principal Māori Design Advisor at Wellington City Council, I am managing the cultural design integration for a permanent public artwork embedded in the Chaytor Street retaining wall, co-funded by NZTA and WCC, supporting artist collective Te Wai Whenua Design Co led by Len Hetet (Te Āti Awa).

Location: Karori
Region: Te Whanganui-a-Tara
Iwi + Hapū: Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika
Ngā Aho practitioner(s): Josephine Clarke
Other participants: Te Wai Whenua Design Co Ltd, Wellington City Council
Discipline and Expertise: Cultural & Heritage Landscape, Co-Design, Urban Design

Working as Principal Māori Design Advisor at Wellington City Council, I am supporting the cultural delivery for the permanent artwork embedded into the new Chaytor Street retaining wall in Karori.

I didn't design the artwork myself. My role is acting as the conduit between Mana Whenua artists, Council, NZTA, and structural engineering teams to balance complex construction timelines with meaningful cultural processes. I ensure Mana Whenua pūrākau are authentically integrated into major infrastructure while navigating project stage funding and delivery constraints.

Key work includes:

• Cultural Integration & Governance: Managing the cultural workstream and advisory process between Council, Mana Whenua, and Te Wai Whenua Design Co (led by Len Hetet alongside Manukorihi Winiata and Wi Hetet) under Tākai Here partnership commitments.

• Technical & Program Coordination: Working alongside structural engineers and project managers to translate cultural narratives into concrete etching and anti-graffiti features without compromising engineering resilience or tikanga.

• Implementation Sequencing: Managing communication, timelines, and cultural milestones to protect the cultural scope and ensure the artwork is delivered with integrity alongside the main infrastructure programme.