Penguin Random House New Zealand
Award for Best Illustrated Book 2024
Finalist
Designers: Tyrone Ohia, Eva Charlton, Max Quinn-Tapara, (Studio: Extended Whānau) & Katrina Duncan
Title: Rewi: Āta haere, kia tere
Publisher: Massey University Press
Format: 250 x 190mm, 456pp.
Typography: Stanley & Theinhardt Mono..
Scanned Handwriting from Rewi Thompson archives.
“Rewi: Āta haere, kia tere is a tribute to the late architect Rewi Thompson (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Raukawa), a visionary thinker who believed that great architecture is crafted through careful consideration of people and place. This book brings together a breathtaking range of his projects, from conceptual dreamscapes to one-of-a-kind homes. Rewi is one of our foremost contemporary Māori architects. This book puts his work and thinking into the spotlight. We were tasked with reflecting this sentiment and the man himself.”
Judges’ comments The designers have crafted a work of bold elegance, where every detail — from the colour palette to the thoughtful typography — celebrates Rewi’s legacy. From the opening moment, where ‘Rewi’ is rendered out of blue in pink handwriting, this book is captivating. The approach from the design team can be summed up in the he mihi at the opening of the book: “We battle, strive and live to tame this great fish that Maui caught. Our youthfulness allows us to be playful, energetic, lively, enthusiastic and experimental and not overburdened by the weight of our past.” All these concepts are embraced and delivered on every page of the book. This is a taonga and testimony to his craft and acts as an ode to his standing as an innovative and visionary thinker. Showing powerful control over every element of design, this book stands as a testament to Rewi’s innovative spirit, seamlessly blending architecture and human experience.
