Stage 1 of the project, the Dominion-led refurbishment of Hotel Give, supported by Architectus, was officially re-opened by the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, in early August. All profits from the YMCA-run hotel – the country’s first socially sustainable hotel – are reinvested into the organisation’s programmes and services, to support better outcomes for young people and vulnerable members of the community.

Stage 2, a dedicated new building for YMCA’s community-based activities, also designed by Architectus, is in construction. The project will house a black-box theatre, preschool, health and well-being spaces, education facilities for young people, dance and movement studios, and a range of support tenants, including a general medical practice and physiotherapy clinic.

Architectus principal Carsten Auer says the studio developed an intricate, multilayered cultural design strategy, in partnership with Matapopore Trust, to guide the integration of cultural values and narratives into the heart of the development. “The overriding aim is to help nurture and shape youth into confident, grounded people with a strong sense of identity,” says Auer.

The cultural framework centres on the activities of Tāne, a role model whose qualities, it is believed, will inspire young people today and in the future. Cultural design elements can be found in the landscaping and ground treatments, artworks integrated into exterior cladding panels, and interior artworks curated by YMCA and produced by young people.

The project is scheduled for completion in mid-2023.