Zoe was inspired to pursue architecture at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington after learning it can be a beautiful and challenging craft that holds potential to transform lives and communities.

After completing her undergraduate studies, Zoe spent time volunteering at The Wellington Free Store and studying Te Reo Māori and Theology, experiences which inspired her mission to apply her architectural expertise to give back to the community.

As part of her final year of studies, Zoe joined the thesis group ‘Tika Lab’, which researches how to confront injustices in architectural processes and the built realm with a particular emphasis on co-design and foregrounding Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles.

Her thesis GeneroCITY explores the potential of co-design to produce radically generous public places of manaaki and counter the privatisation of the urban environment and western architectural processes.

“I worked alongside people at The Wellington Free Store and Ekta NZ, which are non-profit organisations that redistribute surplus food and supplies to create a more sustainable and inclusive society,” Zoe says.

“With support from my supervisors Dr Rosie Scott, Dr Hannah Hopewell and practising architect Rameka Alexander-Tu’inukuafe, I explored our rights to belonging in public space and Māori-centric spaces in the city”.

Her thesis project involved building a portable rimu table for co-design kōrero. Zoe also celebrated Matariki by co-creating 15 metres of wallpaper drawings that will be gifted to the non-profit organisations.

The ability to apply architectural theory in the community made undertaking the thesis her favourite part of the Master of Architecture (Professional) degree.

“Learning outside the classroom is just as important. It grounded my mahi and completely changed my approach to architecture”, says Zoe.

Zoe will submit her thesis project in November and is already thinking about how she will apply her design philosophy in practice.

After submitting her thesis project, she intends to continue operating Zoe’s Kawakawa Balms and Spray, a family-run social enterprise that sells handcrafted natural products made from the kawakawa plant as alternatives to chemical products, and to continue in co-design and sustainable architecture.

“I hope to live in a designed world that fosters celebration, foregrounds indigenous voices, cares for Papatūānuku, and empowers communities to design for themselves, and I plan on continuing my mission through co-design architecture and in my business.

“I hope that my mahi can contribute towards this world.”