This project involved the design development, engineering, fabrication, and installation of five large-scale dimensional steel shrouds at the upgraded Kepa Road and Kupe Street intersection in Ōrākei, Auckland.

The project was delivered in collaboration with Dempsey Wood, Ibex Lighting, Jasmax, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, and Māori artist Uira Nahi.

Each shroud was engineered as a freestanding architectural structure surrounding an existing lamppost without attaching directly to it. The forms were developed as tapered conical structures fabricated from folded 3mm mild steel, incorporating concealed internal framing, bridging tie plates, hinged access doors, and heavy-duty base plates fixed to concrete pads.

A major challenge was translating the beautiful and culturally significant hand-drawn Māori artwork by Uira Nahi into scalable vector drawings suitable for laser cutting, bump folding, and structural fabrication. Rich in meaning and storytelling, the artwork reflects the identity and cultural narrative of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, creating a powerful visual connection to place.

Our in-house design team meticulously rebuilt and refined each artwork panel in vector format, carefully preserving the original artistic intent while adapting it for manufacture. Because the artwork functions as a stencil cut from 3mm steel, every element needed to remain structurally connected. Floating components were reworked, oversized open areas reduced, and fragile or overly intricate sections strengthened or selectively simplified where required.

On the curved conical forms, long pointed sections risked becoming weak or hazardous once folded. To resolve this, our engineering team worked closely with design to introduce carefully placed structural tabs, subtle breaks, and reinforcement strategies within the artwork itself – maintaining both safety and structural integrity without compromising the overall visual effect.

Beyond the artwork, the engineering and fabrication of each unit was a significant feat. Every shroud required complex planning and precision manufacturing to achieve consistent form, seamless panel joins, concealed access systems, and accurate alignment of internal structural, lighting, and diffuser components within the tapered shape.

Each unit includes laser-cut outer steel shells, internal opal acrylic diffuser panels, concealed structural framing, integrated access systems for maintenance, and programmable internal illumination.

The shrouds were galvanised and finished in durable 2-pot automotive paint to match the surrounding streetscape and existing lamppost colour system.

The project required a high level of technical design, engineering expertise, and precision manufacturing, with careful coordination across multiple stakeholders and disciplines.

The final result is a striking large-scale dimensional public artwork installation that combines architectural form, engineering innovation, and cultural storytelling.