Paku is a New Zealand design studio dedicated to creating products uniquely of Aotearoa. They do this by combining mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) with the latest technologies to reimagine the objects around us in a bicultural way.
Paku Limited was started by long-time friends Dr Johnson Witehira and James Prier. The intention behind Paku was simple, they wanted to design culturally inspired stuff for kids. They wanted them to grow up with things from Aotearoa that connect them to this place and tangata whenua.
Johnson (Ngāti Hinekura, Ngāi-tū-te-auru) is a leading indigenous designer and consultant. His practice focuses on how customary Māori knowledge and ways of thinking can be applied in contemporary settings.
As a designer, he has worked with Māori tribal groups, community organisations and Government agencies to instigate design solutions that effect positive change in people, practice and place. Outside of Paku he co-runs a design consultancy business IDIA, and has other works that can be seen here.
James (Ngāti Pākehā) is one of Aotearoa’s leading product design engineers. He has designed products in many industries, including healthcare, agriculture and consumer goods. His design is driven by user-centred research and focused on sustainability.
Most recently the Lead Design Engineer at the iconic New Zealand design studio Formway, James has now packed in the day job and Paku is his main focus.
Paku products are developed and produced in Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) and Manawatū for all of Aotearoa to experience. They are all about connecting our customary practices to our contemporary world.
As they move forward with Paku and tackle projects that require time and money in the RnD of those projects, the funding received from Poutama has unlocked some key technologies and partners that they would have otherwise not been able to engage with.
For their Upcoming Augmented reality tamariki block set, they have been able to work with iSpark to make the AR app and also bolster their in house RnD capabilities with 3D printing and CNC capabilities.
To check out all their products click here.
