equilibrium imagines the folly as a scar in the landscape, a narrow, dark incision that visitors are invited to walk through. Drawing on the visual language of extraction sites, erosion and fault lines, the design creates a striking contrast between a monolithic blackened exterior and a vivid, fractured interior.

Constructed largely from repurposed timber pallets and designed with reuse in mind, the proposal balances a powerful conceptual statement with a strong commitment to circular design. It is both unsettling and compelling, a temporary intervention that reflects on the marks we leave on the land while asking how lightly we might yet tread.

Inspired by the sight of a Kāruhiruhi (pied shag) drying its wings in the sun, Within the Wings of the Kāruhiruhi is a poetic gateway shaped by observation, impermanence and the quiet rhythms of nature. Two wing-like forms welcome visitors into the landscape, creating a moment of shelter, stillness and reflection at the entrance to the trail.

Its outer skin of woven fallen leaves is designed to weather and gradually fall away over time, revealing the timber structure beneath. The result is a folly that embraces change and speaks to seasonality, memory and the fleeting beauty of the natural world.

Framing Tāwharanui is conceived as a sequence of tall gateway forms that invite visitors to pause, look and see the landscape anew. Inspired by traditional Māori pā gateways, the design creates a choreographed journey of compression and release, culminating in a carefully framed view toward Tāwharanui.

Bold in its use of colour and simple in its architectural language, the proposal combines timber, rope, corrugated iron and walkway grating to create an immersive viewing device. More than a structure to pass through, it is a work about perception that draws attention to what is already there and encourages visitors to complete the experience through their own imagination.

Te Kaitiaki is a playful and symbolic interpretation of kaitiakitanga, the Māori concept of guardianship and reciprocal care between people and the natural world. The design brings together three guardians: Pīwakawaka, Tuatara and Tuna, representing sky, land and water in a structure that shifts as visitors move around it.

Through changing elevations, circular viewports and vivid colour, the folly invites visitors to consider not only what they see, but how they see. Balancing strong narrative intent with a light touch on the landscape, Te Kaitiaki offers a thoughtful exploration of ecology, perspective and interconnectedness.

Rooted in Māori creation narratives, Te Pō, Wherō & The World of Light is an immersive architectural journey through darkness, transition and illumination. The proposal unfolds as three interconnected spatial states: Te Pō, Wherō, and Te Ao Mārama, inviting visitors into an experience shaped by ritual, symbolism and movement.

With its layered black cloak, deep red threshold and luminous inner space, the design draws on rural Aotearoa material language while reaching toward something more mythic and ceremonial. Rich in atmosphere and storytelling, it transforms the folly into a place of passage that asks visitors to move, look upward and become part of the work itself.