Name & Meaning:

"What is Auaha Atea?

Auaha is the Māori kupu (word) that means to shape, create or form.

"Ātea" translates to "space," "a wide expanse," or "something clear and free from obstruction". 

We chose our indigenous language for our company title out of respect for the first people here and the values held by the Maori.

People, plants and animals are all descendants of Ranginui (the sky father) and Papatuanuku (the earth mother) and their children, which means humans are therefore, intrinsically linked with biodiversity. The concepts of mauri (life force), mana (authority/power), tapu (sacred and restricted customs) and wairua (spirit) are important to consider about both people and nature. The tangata whenua (people of the land) have a role as kaitiaki (guardians) to preserve the mauri, wāhi tapu (sacred sites) and natural taonga (treasures) in their area. Kaitiakianga includes active stewardship or guardianship of the land, with Māori traditionally having their system of resource management to sustain people and natural resources for the future.

• Our Focus:

  Auaha atea specialises in creating and implementing green spaces, for both the commercial and residential sectors including green walls, custom outdoor furniture and other sustainable solutions. 

• Vision:

  They aspire to be the leading green space experts in New Zealand and are all about being 100% native with all trees and plants, whilst sourcing the best products and materials for the local market

• Project Example:

  They were involved in the New Zealand convention centre where they completed soft scaping and an array of large custom-made Purple heart seating elements  

• Brand Design:

  Their brand design incorporates a Māori name, with a modern but neutral colour palette to reflect their focus on diverse spaces across different sectors.

• The Founders

  They both aspire to the ever-changing trends and designs of the evolving world and will even add a “preppy space” to A project if that is what the youth of today are feeling. Although they themselves would see their own environment as “mid-century Boho. Preppy.

• Founders dream

  To put up a green wall on the harbour bridge.

A little about us in case you hlazed overit the firstr time

The founders of Auaha atea both left school and completed design degrees, The Director then went into film-set production, before starting her own fashion shop "Girl" on K.road, where she sold up-and-coming fashion designer’s garments, which some have gone on to be very successful in their own right.  She closed the shop when she went on her OE, and whilst in Vietnam discovered a love of teaching. As she does, she did a double postgrad diploma in teaching secondary, majoring in technology and art. The other Founder worked through a shop-fitting company from the shop floor to the boardroom table, whilst also being integral in managing and expanding the Australian operation. He then with 10 years under his belt left the intense pressure of shopfitting and went into running the commercial landscaping division with Natural Habitats. He has stayed in the open spaces market since, whilst delivering on some of the country’s top commercial buildings and infrastructure projects. Auaha atea is the couple’s first venture together and they have the desire, motivation, design sense and solution-driven mentality to do almost anything.