Scanning the Waharoa

This month we had the privilege to work with the Selwyn Muru Estate and the Auckland Council to undertake our first pilot scan. The Waharoa/gateway is a well-known piece of art that most Aucklanders will have walked through while passing through Aotea Square.

At the top of the gateway, five main symbols arise. Looking from Queen Street from the right, is Tamanuiterā (God of the Sun). Next to him is Tangaroa, God of the Sea, seen in whale form, mounted by a myth-man. In the middle is Tāne Mahuta (God of the Forest), who is depicted as a bird, and beside him is Tawhirimatea (God of the Elements). On the far left, representing heavenly spheres is Whetū me te Marama (the crescent moon and stars).

Read more about the Waharoa here

We teamed up with Cloned Reality to fly a drone around the Waharoa to take thousands of images that are currently being pieced together to make a 3D model of the gateway. The high resolution scan will be used for conservation and preservation purposes, while a low polygon version, or smaller file will be used to create an interactive digital experience that tells the story behind the Waharoa.