A Visitor Centre by Sheppard & Rout Architects, Where Land Leads and Architecture Follows

Architecture takes root in both tradition and terrain as Sheppard and Rout Architects turn tourism infrastructure into an act of cultural and ecological regeneration. Punangairi is a visitor centre set amidst the wild limestone cliffs and dense coastal forests of Punakaiki, New Zealand. Embodying the reconciliation between landscape, culture, and architecture, the architects, in collaboration with Ngāti Waewae (local tribal folk), reinterpret the values of hospitality and guardianship, allowing the building to settle quietly within its native footprint. Its low-lying timber structure threads through native nikau palms, continuing the rhythm of the forest canopy through lush green roofs. This seamless […]