Tī Rākau
Spark NZ
Tī Rākau, is an interactive installation that celebrates the power of 5G by blending Māori tradition with modern technology. Using camera-based colour tracking and immersive screen portals, players connect across distant locations to play the traditional stick game. Designed to inspire rangatahi, the experience shows how Spark’s 5G can bridge cultural heritage and the digital future, connecting land, people, and potential.
Team: Liam Bennett, Micheal Dong, Elijah Francis, and Jade Luke-Hurley.
Roles
Project Manager
Graphic Design
Physical Prototyping
Videography/Motion
Photography
Year
2024
Live Client Collaboration
Explainer Animation by: Micheal Dong and Jade Luke-Hurley.
Concept to Working Prototype
The design journey began with early sketches to explore form and interaction, which were developed into detailed 3D renders to visualise the installation in context.
From there, technical blueprints were created to guide the build process, leading to the construction of a scaled-down, functional prototype that demonstrated how the visual tracking and user interaction would work in a physical space.
Brand Design and
Campaign.
The branding was designed to align with Spark’s visual identity, using its colour palette and clean iconography to maintain cohesion. The Tī Rākau logo drew inspiration from raranga (flax weaving) and the spinning motion of the traditional game, while supporting patterns based on tāniko gave the sub-brand a strong, geometric aesthetic.
The campaign reached rangatahi through bold, digital-first posters and billboards designed to spark curiosity and highlight the connection between culture and technology.
How The Game Functions.
The Tī Rākau game operates using a webcam that tracks the coloured tips of the sticks. Movements such as lifting, lowering, tapping, or flipping the sticks are detected based on colour changes and translated into inputs for the coded prototype.
The gameplay is synchronised with a traditional Māori waiata, and players receive a score based on how accurately they perform the rhythm. In the full version, Spark’s 5G would enable players across Aotearoa to connect and play together in real time.
