Traditional Maori design updated

Kaikohe 18-year-old Jayden Ruru shows off his first design, a stool inspired by the shape of waka paddles, while behind him Te Teira Rakete, 22, works on concepts for an upgrade of Miria Marae.

A Kaikohe studio teaching youth design skills by putting them to work on real-world projects has launched its first product - a designer stool inspired by traditional Maori paddles.

Akau, a social enterprise combining elements of business, charity and education, is currently training five Kaikohe youth the basics of design and architecture.

Among them is Jayden Ruru, 18, who showed design flair when he studied carpentry at NorthTec's Kaikohe campus.

He got the idea for the paddle stool on Waitangi Day when his uncle invited him to join a waka crew.

He was inspired by the shape of the hoe (paddle), with its combination of straight edges and curves, and the way kaihoe (paddlers) work together in time. The stool is modelled on two hoe placed together.

"The question was, how can we turn this traditional Maori thing into something for this day and age? It took a lot of work but we got there in the end. It's good to have something to be proud of," he said.

Parts for the stool are cut from New Zealand pine plywood using a computer-controlled cutting machine, assembled by a local carpenter and given an oil finish.

Akau co-founder Ruby Watson said the stools were made to order and cost $350. They were aimed at people who wanted locally, ethically made products with New Zealand materials, who had an eye for design and wanted to support social enterprise.

The students are also working on a concept design for a revamp of Miria Marae at Waiomio, south of Kawakawa, and an interior fit-out for Orchard, a shared workspace in Whangarei.

Founded by architects and designers Ms Watson, Ana Heremaia and Felicity Brenchley, Akau ran a pop-up studio on Broadway last summer and is now based at Marino Court. The paddle stool is available from www.akau.co.nz.