2025 HACHETTE AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND
EMERGING DESIGNER AWARD
Sarah-Louise Crawford
Sarah-Louise Crawford (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) is a Pōneke based designer whose work is deeply rooted in kaupapa Māori values.
At Huia Publishers, she crafts publication design that honours te ao Māori, elevates te reo, and reflect the richness of Aotearoa’s diverse narratives, past and present. Design is not just a visual output, but a vehicle for connection, empowerment, and cultural expression.
Sarah-Louise is an expert in blending cultural concepts and visual hierarchy to produce conceptually driven and aesthetically refined book projects. Her work is grounded in whanaungatanga and manaakitanga – people and place are intentionally rooted at the centre of her brief.
Publisher: HUIA Publishers
Design Contribution: Designer all
Design Statement: Rooted in mātauranga Māori, the design centres on the Poutama pattern–More than a symbol of ascension, the Poutama in this context speaks to the simultaneous broadening and deepening of knowledge that occurs through immersion in Māori-medium education. It reflects not just linear progression, but the layered, cyclical, and personal nature of learning within Indigenous paradigms.
The design balances cultural depth with broad accessibility, presenting the book as both a tribute and a living taonga–celebrating the evolution of Māori-medium education with visual and narrative integrity.
The internal layout prioritises clarity and readability to support the book’s rich, multi-contributor content. A clean, consistent typographic system uses subtle variations in weight and size for clear hierarchy. A serif typeface enhances legibility, with any sans-serif selections matched for cohesion. This considered approach ensures an accessible, respectful reading experience that honours te ao Māori and invites thoughtful engagement with the kaupapa.
Publisher: HUIA Publishers
Design Contribution: Interior designer
Design Statement: Building on the Supreme Award-winning first book, the internal design of Charlie Tangaroa and the God of War reflects a maturing narrative with deeper mythological and environmental themes. Designed for readers aged 8–12, the layout is clean and accessible, with a consistent typographic system that uses subtle shifts in size, weight, and case to guide the reader through an information-rich story. A legible serif typeface is used for body text, with wave motifs integrated into chapter numbers to echo the story’s strong oceanic presence.
Illustrations are carefully placed and stylised to support the storytelling–drawing from te ao Māori and the natural world. Symbolic elements like wētā, insects, and native motifs represent the Atua and their opposing forces, creating visual tension and movement throughout. Together, the layout and illustration choices create a cohesive, engaging, and culturally grounded reading experience.
