Raupō

Shelter shaped from the wetland

raupō, bullrush, Typha orientalis

Raupō is a tall wetland plant grows along rivers, lakes, and swamp margins across Aotearoa. Its long, flat leaves rise from saturated ground, forming dense stands at the water’s edge and signalling healthy, functioning wetlands.

For Māori, raupō was a valued building material. Its leaves were harvested, dried, and layered to create warm, water-resistant walls for whare, particularly in low-lying or timber-scarce areas. Early European settlers also built raupō huts, drawing on Māori knowledge to create practical shelter while adapting to unfamiliar landscapes. For a time, raupō structures were a common feature of early colonial life, before wetlands were drained and plant-based building was replaced by imported materials.

This play space draws on the form of raupō shelters — not as replicas, but as abstracted shapes emerging from the sand. They invite imaginative play, echoing a time when homes were made directly from the plants growing nearby.

Look around — what other stories might be growing here?