Waka Ama Street Housing

Waka Ama Street Housing is a public housing development for Kāinga Ora in Cannons Creek, Porirua. Part of the wider Eastern Porirua regeneration programme, the project delivers 18 new homes within a connected neighbourhood that includes a new street, shared green space, and housing designed for a range of household sizes and lifestyles.

Responding to local demand for a wider range of public housing, the development includes one-bedroom apartments through to five-bedroom houses with five full Universal Design dwellings to improve accessibility. Standalone houses, duplexes, and walk-up apartments sit within a shared neighbourhood framework that supports both privacy and connection.

A new pedestrian-friendly street forms the spine of the site, creating a calm setting for everyday life. Alongside it, a pocket park provides shared outdoor space for residents. Homes face the street, with low planting at the front rather than high fences, helping the neighbourhood feel open, safe, and connected. Homes include an entry porch that functions as a small, useful threshold that supports everyday routines and casual encounters with neighbours. Generous, covered verandahs allow flexibility for larger gatherings.

The homes were designed to achieve Homestar 6, with passive design supporting healthier and more efficient living. Durable, low-maintenance materials were selected for long-term performance, and timber structural solutions were used wherever possible, with limited steel only where required.

Food growing is part of daily life across the development. Each home includes a raised garden bed, and fruit trees are planted throughout the site to encourage sharing between neighbours.

Together, housing, landscape and shared public realm are integrated to support neighbourhood amenity and everyday wellbeing

Project partners: Kāinga Ora, Orogen Ltd (Survey, Civil Engineer stage 1), Tim Kelly Transportation Planning Ltd (Traffic Engineer), Incite Ltd (Planner), Miyamoto NZ (Structural), NDY (Services), Quintons (QS), Calibre Group (Stage 2 Civil Engineer), RMM (Stage 2 Landscape Architecture), Nspire, Homestead Construction (Contractor)