Punangairi is a highly sustainable visitor centre, carefully placed within one of the most beautiful and sensitive natural environments in the West Coast region. The architecture responds to the landscape, weaving around the existing nīkau and natural features, touching the land as lightly as possible and recessing back into the landscape, with a lush green roof and perimeter timber trunks help it blend into the surroundings, blurring its edges and reducing its visual impact on the stunning landscape.

Designed to replace the outdated DOC facility—too small, unsuitable for expansion without harming the natural environment, and no longer fit for purpose—the new centre is positioned on an existing lawn, with the connected exhibition building located in a clearing.

Generous outdoor public areas enhance the visitor experience, while timber construction was prioritised to reduce embodied carbon and support regenerative building practices. The centre includes dedicated spaces for local artists to display and sell their work, reinforcing its role as a cultural hub. A mezzanine-level community space offers a venue for gatherings and events. Owned and operated by Ngāti Waewae, Punangairi is more than a visitor centre—it embodies a commitment to environmental and cultural stewardship.

The project was a Provincial Growth Fund initiative aimed at strengthening West Coast tourism while supporting and upskilling the local workforce. A significant proportion of the on-site team were locals, with long-term employment opportunities created as a result. Even the green roof was grown and assembled nearby before being installed by local workers, making this a true West Coast project with widespread community involvement.