Tere Insley

Tere Insley
Insley in 2026
Born
Alexandra Tere Insley
EducationUniversity of Auckland
OccupationArchitect
ChildrenMatekitātahi Rāwiri
PracticeKauri Architects

Alexandra Tere Insley is a New Zealand Māori architect. She was the first registered Māori woman architect. Insley is of Te Whanau-a-Apanui descent.

Biography

Insley was raised in a Te Reo Māori speaking household in Otuwhare in the Bay of Plenty Region. She studied at the University of Auckland, graduating in 1980 as the first wahine Māori (Māori woman) with a degree in architecture at the time. Additionally, in 1984 she became the first wahine Māori registered architect in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Insley first worked for the Ministry of Works and Development, then in 1990 she established her own practice, Kauri Architects. Her architectural practice aims to incorporate Māori knowledge into the Eurocentric discipline, by working locally and nationally to deliver projects representative of whakapapa and place. Insley is also a New Zealand Registered Architects Board (NZRAB) registration assessor, and a Fellow of Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects.

Projects with Ministry of Works and Development
Historic Places Trust Restoration reports ( - 2009) Project management ( - 2009)
Wharenui:
Projects with Warren + Mahoney
Year(s) Name Location Source
2002 - 2012 MIT and Transport Interchange, Manukau Manukau
2002 - 2012 National Library Wellington alterations Wellington
2002 - 2012 Southern Cross Medical Centre - - -
2010 Te Wharekura o Te Rau Aroha, Ngarua Ngarua
2010 Novotel Hotel, Auckland International Airport Auckland International Airport
2010 Auckland Mail Centre, Highbrook Highbrook
2010 Whare Taonga, Tūrangawaewae Tūrangawaewae
2010 Upper Harbour Primary School, Auckland Stages 01 and 02 Auckland
Projects with Kauri Architects
Year(s) Name Location Source
2014 C Company Exhibition extension, Tairawhiti Museum, Gisborne Tairawhiti Museum, Gisborne
2015 Te Tini o Porou Stage 01 alterations, Te Runanganui o Ngāti Porou Former DB Hotel (Kaiti), Whanau Ora offices and Youth Services
2012 - 2016 Hauhunga Marae: Whare nui, Whare kai and Administration for Ngāti Rārua Blenheim
2012 - 2016 Te Runanganui o Ngāti Porou offices, Ruatoria alterations Gisborne
2012 - 2016 Raparapa Ririki Outdoor pursuits/tourism for Te Runanganui o Ngāti Porou Gisborne
--- Hinehou Kohanga Reo, Western Springs Western Springs
--- University of Auckland, Kohanga Reo University of Auckland

Legacy

In 2026, Architecture and Women New Zealand introduced a new Tere Hunuku te Kawakawa Leadership Award in their Dulux series after Insley for her influence in Aotearoa New Zealand's architectural scene. The award celebrates women in the second decade of their career that show outstanding architectural talent and leadership.

Tere Hunuku te Kawakawa Leadership Award Recipients
Year Finalists Winner Source
2026 Caro Robertson (Spacecraft Architects), Divya Purushotham (Warren & Mahoney), Lucy Hayes-Stevenson (Cheshire Architects), Magdalena Garbarczyk (Fineline Architecture), Madeline Sharpe (Synergine) Divya Purushotham, Warren & Mahoney

References

  1. ↑ "NZRAB - Architect Details". www.nzrab.nz. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  2. ↑ "Indigenous aesthetic which considers tikanga and mātauranga Māori shaping spaces". NZ Herald. 14 October 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  3. ↑ "Kauri Architects Limited, Grey Lynn, NZ - Company Info". www.businesscheck.co.nz. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  4. ↑ Brown, Deidre (20 March 2024). "Te taura whakairo: the continuing tradition". Architecture Now. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  5. ↑ "Heralding her heritage - Lifestyle News". NZ Herald. 14 October 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Naming of the Awards - AWNZ [staging]". Architecture + Women NZ. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  7. ↑ "About | Kauri Architects". Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "About | Kauri Architects". Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  9. ↑ "Tere Insley". AWNZ. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  10. ↑ Parata, Hekia (15 November 2014). "Minister marks C Company House opening". beehive.govt.nz. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  11. ↑ "Ngati Porou". www.ngatiporou.com. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  12. ↑ "A+W NZ Dulux 2026 Awards: Nominations are open". Architecture Now. Archived from the original on 10 September 2026.
  13. ↑ "AWNZ". AWNZ. Retrieved 17 September 2026.