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New Māori names for our buildings

Buildings at City Campus Christchurch and Woolston Campus have new Māori names to reflect our commitment to creating a welcoming environment that contributes to the success of Māori and other cultures.

Our buildings will still use a letter signifier (such as C Block), which you can use to find a room (C122), but they will also have a new Māori name too. You will see the new names as our new signage goes up progressively across the campuses.

This project started with Whareora, our Science and Wellbeing Facility, which means House of Wellbeing, and continued with Kahukura, the Engineering and Architectural Studies building now under construction, which refers to a chiefly cloak and is symbolic of the mana (respect) that education confers on an individual.

We have consulted with our communities to find meaningful names that reflect our unique Canterbury environment and the fucntions of the particular buildings. Work is also underway to designate new names to the buildings of our southern campuses too.

To learn the new names, their meanings and how to say them properly, check out our handy pronunciation guide.

City Campus - Christchurch


PA	Paxus House	Pūakiaki	This translates to "cool and refreshing" and is the Māori name for Coopers Creek and Eyre River.
JZ	Jazz school	Tai Haruru	This translates to "the roaring tide" and is the Māori name for The Garry River, Okuku.
OH	Ōtautahi House	Ōtautahi House	Ōtautahi is the Māori name for the Christchurch area.
P	Broadcasting	Te Wahapū	This translates to "the river mouth".
U	Hospitality	Ihutai	This is the Māori name for the South Brighton estuary.
Q	Hospitality	Te Pātaka	This is the Māori word for storehouse.
O	Business	Kōtare	This is the Māori word for the Kingfisher bird, native to New Zealand.
S	Sciences & Vet Nursing	Tāwhaki	This is the Māori word for a deity associated with the pursuit of knowledge.
T	ICT	Taipari	This translates to "the flow" as it relates to the tide and surging waters.
N	Computing & Business	Tōrea	This is the Māori word for the Oyster catcher bird, native to New Zealand.
G	Management	Te Kei	The Kei is the stern of a canoe. This is traditionally the place where the steerer of a canoe was positioned to guide the direction of the vessel. The position of this building also lends to the position of the Kei in relation to the waka form of Te Puna Wanaka. It is the place where the people of prominence were positioned in a canoe.
ALX	Student Hub	Rakaia	This is based on the Rakaia River in Mid Canterbury.
TM	Te Puna Wānaka	Te Puna Wānaka	This translates to "The Spring of Learning".
CC	Childcare	Te Waka Piki Kōtuku	The canoe of our treasures
E	NASDA	Te Pūtahi	This translates to "joining", as in where rivers meet.
C	EAS	Tahatika	This translates to the pathway alongside a river
R	Whareora	Whareora	This is a combination of the Māori words for ‘house’ (Whare) and for ‘wellbeing’ (Ora).
DL	Lecture theatre	Tuawera	This is the Māori name for Shag Rock at Sumner.
K	EAS	Kahukura	This is a Māori word that refers to a chiefly cloak, a rainbow, and a deity associated with the Cashmere Hills, which the building looks towards.
DL	Design & Arts	Marokura	This is the name for a deity associated with the eastern coast of the South Island.

Woolston Campus


VF	Student Services Centre	Ōpāwaho	This is the Māori name for the Heathcote River that runs through Christchurch.
V	Staff / Electrical/ Joinery/ Furniture/ TPP	Te Araka	This translates to "the bridge", and is a previous name for the Māori Trades Hostel.
VE	Engineering/ Automotive/ Trades hall/ Carpentry	Te Kaihaka	This translates to "the creator", and is a previous name for the Māori Trades Hostel.
VP	Plumbing/ plasterboard/ high voltage	Marunui	This translates to "large shelter".
VC	Carpentry Barn	Tāwharau	This translates to "sheltered haven".

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