Research
Our practice...
...embraces opportunities to be innovative, communicates new ways of thinking and explore how we might improve the urban design and development of our cities. This includes ongoing professional development, training, research projects, teaching and presentations. Some recent initiatives include:
Presentations
- Placemaking Week Tāmaki Makaurau (2019)
- Te Wero / The Challenge - Responding to different cultural viewpoints on land, community and housing. Urbanism New Zealand Conference (2018)
- Faith in the Collective, NZIA Auckland Spring Series (2018)
- Tips and tricks for medium density housing Architectural Designers NZ – Medium Density Housing Summit (2018)
- Collaboration in the practice of urban design, development and planning, specific to Aotearoa / New Zealand. New Zealand Planning Institute Conference (2013)
Teaching
- Master of Architecture design studio at the University of Auckland, titled, Nga Tohu o te Whenua - Signs of the land – that focused on Papakainga housing for a Maori community in Kaikohe. Tracy taught in collaboration with Steve Hutana (2020)
- Both Nina and Tracy have taught and been guest critics at the University of Auckland and Unitec over a number of years.
Personal research
- Tracy’s Masters of Architecture thesis ‘Towards a South Pacific Urbanism, - Tikanga Maori, History and Urban Design in the context of Tamaki Makaurau continues to be important to our practice. (2009)
- Nina’s arts collective Hoop-la explores place activation, innovative community engagement and ‘ultra-local’ urban research.
Inspiration
Some of the international and local practices that inspire us and inform our approach to design, planning and community engagement include:
Professional development
- ‘Making Good Decisions’ Commissioners Training (2020)
- Te Ohu | People, Land + Kinship in Tuhoe (2018)
- Urbanism New Zealand Conference (2018)
- Regenerative Practitioner Series (2016 )