Elize Samaan

A Community Living Room Inspired by Manaakitanga

Manaaki Hub is a community living room proposed for Newmarket, Auckland. The project responds to a lack of free indoor places where people can sit, connect, learn or spend time without needing to buy something. Inspired by manaakitanga, understood as care, welcome and inclusion, the hub brings together four experiences: a welcome and tea threshold, a community living room, an English and learning exchange, and a making and sharing space. An open entrance invites people in, while timber screens, flexible furniture and varied seating help the zones feel connected without making everything completely open. People can join activities, talk with others, read or spend time quietly. The project draws on my understanding of community as sharing and helping one another. It explores how interior design can support belonging and connection while giving people choice in how they use a shared space.