When you think about New Zealand's top architecture, you're probably picturing fancy, expensive new buildings in Auckland or Wellington right?
This story proves that assumption completely wrong.
A church restoration project, 100 percent led by a small Maori community near Gisborne has won a highly prestigious architecture award beating huge government-backed projects to take the top prize.
It's a mainly Maori settlement with fewer than 500 residents where the young residents have moved away but return to practice a waiata and learn more about their culture and history.
The church is a unique blend of Maori and European architecture representing the Maori and Anglicans coming together and it has played an important role in the settlement over the years.
But it's the church's fourth building with the first one dating back to 1839. The restoration work began in 2000 and it has been 15 years of planning, work and fundraising $1.3 million.
Watch the video for the full Story report.
The community still needs $100,000 to cover earthquake strengthening work and has a GiveALittle page: givealittle.co.nz/org/tokotorutapuchurch
