'Ka Mua Ka Muri' wins the Resene Landscape Colour Maestro Award

The Resene Total Colour Awards winners were announced at an evening event at the New Zealand Maritime Museum. A wide range of creative and colourful projects won awards, including Ka Mua Ka Muri, one of the 2024 Nohonga designs created by a team from Boffa Miskell.

The team of Zak Kelland, Nicole Tune and Hamish Murphy used Ka mua, ka muri — a whakatauki that means "walking backwards into the future" — as the title and inspiration for their nohonga, which expresses the intricate life-cycle of a tree, unveiling its transformative journey through five distinct phases.

Each segment of the seat embodies a distinct phase of the cycle, guiding users through a narrative journey. From the towering presence of Te Wao Nui represented by the felled tree trunk, to the utilisation of timber slats symbolising Te Rauemi, the seat design intricately reflects the essence of each stage. The shape of the seat itself evokes the form of Te Waka, symbolising exploration and new horizons. The raised back and sheltered sides embody the concept of Te Whare, offering users a sense of sanctuary and warmth. Ultimately, the entire nohonga is grounded, serving as a tangible connection to Papatūānuku, completing the cycle. Its alternating orientation provides individuals with the opportunity to align themselves with either Ka Mua or Ka Muri, inviting introspection and engagement with the timeless rhythm of nature’s cycles.

Arborist Scott Geddes assisted the team at the production stage; procuring and helping to shape the massive piece of timber.

The Resene Colour Awards jury said “The work feels grounded in the natural origins of its material, carrying that story forward into a carefully crafted final object. What makes the piece particularly compelling is the way it allows the viewer to sense the journey from raw material to finished form.
The restrained use of colour is highly effective. There is just enough to emphasise the form, while the Resene Woodsman stain is used skilfully to reveal the texture and natural graining of the timber, celebrating rather than concealing the character of the wood.”
  
This project is finished in: Resene Whale Tail, Windfall, Knock Out and Resene Woodsman Natural.