Te Pūmanawa o Porirua
The Beating Heart of Porirua
Chelsea O’Hara & Juanita Fauatea - Group 05

Through analysis and engagement with community and council members, we developed an understanding of Porirua as a place that people care deeply about and want to see thrive. While valued for its sense of community, and its identity as a “village of villages”, much of the city centre reflects planning priorities of the past, with large areas of car parking, inward-facing development, and a landscape shaped around vehicles rather than people. Population growth, flooding, sea level rise, reclaimed land, and fault lines reinforce the need for a more resilient future.

Our proposal responds to these challenges by creating Pūmanawa, a new green heart for the city. Positioned between the fault lines, this park reduces seismic risk by using vulnerable areas for open space and recreation rather than intensive development.

Pūmanawa is the social, cultural, recreational, and ecological centre of Porirua, expanding on the civic heart already formed by Pātaka, Kai Tahi, and Te Rauparaha Park. It creates a destination that gives people a reason to visit, gather, and spend time in the city centre.

Pūmanawa extends beyond the park itself through green corridors that connect neighbourhoods to the harbour, streams, wetlands, and open spaces across the city. Higher-density mixed-use villages support future growth, and light rail, walkable streets, and shared green spaces reduce reliance on private vehicles. Redevelopment is phased over time as buildings reach the end of their life. Daylighted streams and restored wetlands improve water quality, provide flood storage, and bring natural systems back into the city. Together, these interventions create a more connected, resilient, and people-focused Porirua.