Nau Mai, Welcome to Kahu Creative Studio.

Whenua-led strategy. Design guidance. Purpose-led mahi-toi

We work at the very beginning — where whenua, people and future generations meet.

Kahu Creative Studio provides whenua analysis, design guidance and mahi-toi for iwi, hapū, marae, councils, organisations and developers who want to make decisions that are grounded, respectful and future-focused.

Our work spans digital, built and natural landscapes, always led by whenua — never imposed upon it.

Whenua first. People always. Futures in mind.

👉 Let’s kōrero about your whenua

what we do.

We begin with listening.

Every project starts by understanding what our clients want and need — for their people, their whenua, and their future. We then place those aspirations alongside a deep whenua analysis, allowing the whenua itself to respond.

From this process, we weave a unique Healing Korowai for each project — a tailored framework that brings healing to people and Papatūānuku together.

This korowai considers:

how whānau move through and experience space
how people connect with each other and with te taiao
how wai and waterways flow through the whenua
how ecology, culture and daily life are interconnected

Our advice is never generic. It is shaped by place, people and purpose — and designed to support long-term, sustainable outcomes.

All work is guided by our internal kaupapa Māori framework, the Healing Korowai of the Kahu Creative Universe, which ensures consistency, integrity and intergenerational responsibility across every project.

To understand how Kahu Creative Studio fits within the wider ecosystem, see our Kahu Creative Universe overview.

Whenua analysis is where listening becomes understanding.
We undertake a holistic, kaupapa Māori–led analysis that brings together:
- whakapapa and cultural authority
- wairua and emotional integrity
- tikanga and boundaries of practice
- taiao systems, ecology and biodiversity
- wai, waterways and landform movement
- access, connections and patterns of use
- site constraints, opportunities and future potential
This analysis is guided by the Healing Korowai framework, which holds four interwoven layers:
- Whakapapa — origins, place and responsibility
- Wairua — balance, healing and care
- Tikanga — boundaries, consent and integrity
- Whaihua — outcomes and long-term impact
Each project includes:
- a live Miro board — a shared, evolving workspace that holds all whakaaro, imagery and analysis
- a final illustrated Whenua Strategy Report that translates insights into clear, practical guidance
This ensures whenua knowledge remains living, accessible and active — not locked away in a static document.
Design guidance weaves the Healing Korowai into future decision-making.
Using insights from the whenua analysis, we provide strategic guidance that supports:
- intergenerational planning and future resilience
- spatial narratives and design principles
- staged development pathways
- Bronze / Silver / Gold long-term scenarios
This guidance allows architects, planners, engineers and stakeholders to work from a shared kaupapa-led brief, reducing conflict and strengthening alignment.
We do not dictate solutions. We provide a korowai of clarity that others can work within — ensuring outcomes remain grounded in whenua, people and purpose.
Purpose-led mahi-toi embedded within whenua.
Our mahi-toi practice weaves cultural expression directly into digital, built and natural landscapes — ensuring stories of place are felt, navigated and lived.
We design and deliver mahi-toi including:
- window manifestations
- paving and ground patterns
- cultural signage and wayfinding
- pou and whenua markers
- toka mauri (rock placements)
- water and wai-based features
Mahi-toi is informed by whenua — its whakapapa, movement, ecology and people. It is not added as decoration, but integrated as part of the whenua’s ongoing narrative.