Stunning Māori designs are adding “incredible” beauty to the City Rail Link’s Karanga-ā-Hape Station in Auckland.
This week a major milestone was celebrated with the removal of the internal scaffolding at the Beresford Square entrance to the station, to reveal the spectacular design work of the team led by mana whenua artist Reuben Kirkwood (Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki).
“It might be raining today, but it feels like rays of sunshine are making their way into the Beresford Square entrance,” City Rail Link wrote on social media on Friday.
“With the scaffolding now down, an incredible collaborative design work led by Reuben Kirkwood (Ngāi Tai) is on show – depicting rays of sunlight and the phases of the moon."
The Maramataka is a key feature of the installation, which is still to be fully installed.
“While the centrepiece sun depiction is yet to be installed, the striking installation features flowing metal rods suspended between semi-circular downstands, representing the Maramataka – the traditional Māori lunar calendar.
City Rail Link says the installation captures the “changing seasons”.
“The moon’s phases are captured in carved, circular discs made from ancient swamp kauri, adding a powerful sense of time and place.
“Positioned above the concourse, the rods curve and cross in graceful arcs, symbolising the passage of time and the changing seasons.”
As well, Kirkwood designed the “cutting edge” concrete Atua panels that stand nine metres tall on the exterior of the station’s Mercury Lane entrance.
Earlier this week, City Rail Link shared images of the Lane’s escalators and the view that will greet commuters as they arrive at platform level.
City Rail Link is the government and Auckland Council-owned company behind the city’s new 3.45 kilometre underground rail line.
Auckland Transport expects to welcome its first passengers on the new line in early 2026.
