Fast Forward 2026: Transcolonisation! | Professor Derek Kawiti

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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Professor Derek Kawiti | Indigenous Robotics

Derek Kawiti (Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi, Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou) is a leading researcher whose work sits at the cutting edge of Indigenous robotics, computational design, and the built environment. A Professor of Architecture at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington, Kawiti specialises in Māori-designed environments and the integration of contemporary manufacturing technologies, generative software, and robotics into architectural practice. He directs three pioneering research labs—SITUA, Indigenous Material Domains, and Corporate Spheres, which collectively advance the re-indigenising of architectural knowledge by merging tikanga and Māori geometries with digital fabrication and advanced automation. His research explores how Indigenous customary knowledge can converge with emergent technologies to reshape future design methodologies; a theme reflected in his influential work on Indigenous computational design and material computation. A Principal Investigator at the MacDiarmid Institute, Kawiti is also an award-winning practitioner and television presenter whose projects span civic, governmental, and international contexts.

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