Pou with a Glow

About This Project

New Plymouth Girls High School (NPGHS) commissioned three pou to represent their core values and honor important taonga. Local Māori artist Hemi Sundgren and graphic designer Jennie Aitken Hall created tukutuku patterns that connect to each value:

• Niho Taniwha (red): Whanaungatanga (Relationships)

• Purapura Whetu (blue): Whakamana (Respect)

• Poutama (orange): Haepapa (Responsibility)

We transformed these patterns into modern pou in the school colours. The pou also show the hierarchy of values through their different heights.

Crucially, the pou needed to glow at night. To achieve this, we designed them to look black and white during the day and light up with bright neon colours after dark. We used LED neon flex strips inside opal acrylic boxes for even illumination.

The structure includes a central aluminium pole with U-channels holding the LED strips. Each acrylic box fits securely on concrete plinths of varying heights, resembling a winners’ podium.

A new garden surrounds the pou, and the school plans more planting. Local iwi Te Atiawa blessed the installation in a special ceremony.

Since then, the pou have become a proud landmark. They symbolize the school’s values and community spirit, shining brightly day and night.

This job was awarded with a SILVER MEDAL at the 2024 New Zealand Sign & Display Awards in the Illuminated Category.