Fast Forward 2026: Transcolonisation! | Chelsea Winstanley ONZM

Fast Forward 2026: Transcolonisation!

Semester 1

In the Architecture NZ article Transcolonisation 1990-2020, Anthony Hōete charted how architecture in Aotearoa was negotiating the complex entanglement of colonial inheritance and Indigenous resurgence. He described a 30-year trajectory in which design culture shifts from bicultural acknowledgement toward a more assertive Te Ao Māori architectural project, seeking to reconcile European traditions with Indigenous spatial knowledge. This process of transcolonisation reframes architecture as an evolving dialogue in which Māori worldviews increasingly steer form, narrative, and purpose. Hōete positions this shift not as a stylistic turn but as a structural rebalancing, reshaping how architecture inhabits land, memory, and identity.

Embedded within the Fast Forward lecture series, the University of Auckland’s School of Architecture and Planning’s annual flagship lecture series, Transcolonisation 2026, asks pre-eminent Māori how their creative practice might influence architecture and the built environment.

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Chelsea Winstanley ONZM | Visual Sovereignty

Chelsea Winstanley (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi) is one of Aotearoa’s most influential Māori filmmakers, celebrated for advancing visual sovereignty and championing Indigenous authorship on screen. An Academy Award-nominated producer, she has emerged as a leading creative force with her feature documentary TOITŪ: Visual Sovereignty, which goes behind the scenes of Toi Tū Toi Ora, the largest exhibition of Contemporary Māori Art ever staged in Aotearoa. The film exposes the tensions between institutional authority and Māori self-determination, revealing how Indigenous control over narrative and image becomes a political and cultural act. Winstanley’s filmmaking asserts that storytelling is spatial—that Māori narratives shape how people see, understand, and inhabit the built environment. By reclaiming authorship, her work influences Māori architecture by affirming who holds the pen, who frames the space, and whose worldview structures the visual field. Her leadership continues through te reo film translation, arts governance, and sustained advocacy for Māori creative autonomy.

10 CPD points available.

Please note that tickets purchased from unauthorized third-party websites are not valid; please use only the approved website (eventbrite.co.nz) for ticket purchases/registrations.

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Getting to the venue:

The main Faculty of Engineering and Design buildings are conveniently located at the heart of the University's City Campus, and are easily accessible via many forms public transport. For further information on public transport schedules, visit the Auckland Transport website.

For those driving in, further information on parking options can be found here.

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Host or Publisher Faculty of Engineering, University of Auckland