Rosemary Li, 2020
This project was inspired by the traditional Chinese bracket system.

“Without a single nail or drop of glue, the interlocking components form a robust and aesthetically pleasing structural support for the overhanging roofs”

This project is perhaps one of the most memorable installations during the covid pandemic. Each person could hang their #wish which would eventually resemble the nationwide case curves as the ribbons increase in length.

Type: Project - Student - Masters Thesis Installation UoA
Client: Auckland Artweek

Janae Van Panahon & Shan Yu, 2023

🐉 An iridescent Taniwha swims between the alleyways of the CBD ✨

Did you know that buried beneath Tamaki Makaurau’s bustling streets was once the Waihorotiu stream?

The archived ARTWEEK installation TE AWA: The Water was an homage to the lost vitality of the river beneath.

Architectural Graduates Shan Yu and Janae Van Panahon revitalises the urban legend as a critique of the mistreatment towards the natural world.

Type: Project - Graduate - Art Installation
Client: Auckland Artweek - Changing Lanes

Cheshire Architects - Dajiang Tai, 2021
🕯️🥢Hidden below the alleyway of one of the busiest zones of Britomart is a dining experience like no other. For AKA, there is no better introduction to Cheshire’s work than the award-winning Ghost Street.

Design Director, Architect Dajiang ‘DJ’ Tai of Cheshire, wanted to capture the essence of Chinese Cities he had been to, such as Xi-An and Chongqing- through a Chinese restaurant constructed purely by imagination - his mission - to restore the memory of the Chinese restaurant to what it should be like.

The atmosphere of Ghost Street is truly striking, akin to entering a portal to another era. DJ himself draws parallels to Chinese films, where dining scenes exude rawness, darkness, and humility.

Type: Project - Hospitality
Client: Comensa group

Sarosh Mulla, Patrick Loo & Shahriar Asdollah-Zadeh, 2019
☀️🔭🌈Resident Aucklanders! Have you seen that curious sculpture at your local park?

Boasting a cheerful yellow, Tamaki Makaurau’s nomadic Rainbow Machine is a kaleidoscopic sculptural device which bridges science and art through play.

As it travels around the city, be sure to give it a spin and create some rainbows! 🟡

Client: Auckland Council & Waitemata Local Board
Type: Interactive Mobile Sculpture

Karl Mendez, 2020
🛶🇵🇭🐲 Kumusta! Architectural Graduate Karl Mendez’s Master’s thesis - MALAYA - A Cultural Shift of the Filipino Diaspora - is a dedication to the pre-colonial way of living for ancestral Filipinos, imagined with boat design techniques on the Port of Cebu City.

Set in the Port of Cebu, Philippines, the project remedies a neglected port to empower the Filipino people by equipping them with skill set and knowledge to voyage into the world with an understanding of their cultural heritage.

Type: Student - Master’s Thesis, University of Auckland

Supervised by Norman Wei, Architect

Jiwon Heo, 2023
🇰🇷🥬🌮🍜Nothing brings people together more than the mere act of sharing food and cross-cultural exchange. Architectural Graduate Jiwon Heo’s master’s thesis draws on her Korean heritage to explore these concepts, set against the vibrant backdrop of Auckland’s waterfront.

This design centres on the innovative concept of the ‘Public Kitchen,’ an intricately designed space meticulously crafted to facilitate profound interactions and dialogues within a diverse community. Within this domain, the symbiotic exchange of cultures mirrors the intricate processes of fermentation, where diverse elements converge to forge a distinctive fusion capable of simultaneously appealing and challenging the senses—an integration aptly termed ‘Fermentation Fusion.’

Type: Student - Master’s Thesis, University of Auckland
Supervised by Dorita Hannah

Benjamin Everitt, 2018
🇯🇵🇳🇿 Diplomacy through design: For architectural graduate Ben Everitt, Japan became the lens through which embassies could evolve, moving beyond symbolism to embody a deeper, more meaningful cultural connection 🤝

This thesis topic was pursued initially with a hunch about the obsession that Westerners have with Japanese architecture and how Japanese culture is often sought after for visual inspiration to create zen-like spaces that are whimsical and minimalist. The understanding of Japanese architecture and cities is frequently reduced to literature published from a Western lens, focusing purely on the form and space of notable starchitect buildings.

Type: Master’s Thesis, Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
Year Supervisor: Morten Gjerde

Dian Fei Wang, 2023

Betty Han, 2023

Myint San Aung, 2021