Continuing on from last weekend’s symposium and a gala dinner, the exhibition displaying the work of 50 graduates from the faculty at Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington celebrates how they have progressed from their studies to develop distinctive practices, succeed in their professions and to to innovate and disrupt in meaningful ways.
The exhibition, being staged until 14 November, takes the form of large-scale banners highlighting each graduate’s work, paired with textual descriptions of their current practice and achievements.
Senior lecturer in Interdisciplinary Digital Design Technologies, Tane Moleta, says exhibits are displayed in other ways too.
“A number of exhibitors are providing three-dimensional artefacts, moving-image works, or interactive digital pieces.”
The selection spans across disciplines: while architecture remains the largest and longest-standing, newer areas such as Communication Design, Animation, and Game Design will also feature, Tane says.
Highlights include designs by:
- Claire Sharp: Architect who oversaw construction of circular designed new Apple campus in California
*Robbie Van Dam: Product designer who co-founded Goodnature, a company dedicated to reimagining pest control for conservation
- Ged Finch: Architect who devised X-Frame, a framing system that can be disassembled and re-used at the end of a building’s useful life
- Jordan Bostock: Leads the design of New Zealand’s Fix & Fogg peanut butter. Her work has appeared in campaigns both on Earth and in space, most notably on the International Space Station, as NASA astronauts requested a space-friendly peanut butter. The space-edition label now lives in the Te Papa collections. From labels to billboards, brand campaigns and set styling, Jordan works across all areas of design at Fix & Fogg.
- Lauren Palmer: Involved with design of Series 11 iteration of Fisher & Paykel Dish Drawer, characterised by quieter performance, greater efficiency, and refined details including soft-close drawers, flexible racking and a stainless-steel interior.
“This will all give audiences a strong sense of how the faculty has evolved over the decades,” Tane says.
In addition, the celebrations coincide with the faculty’s annual End of Year Student Exhibition, whose work is given the rare opportunity to be showcased alongside some of the faculty’s most illustrious graduates.
Paparahi — 50th anniversary exhibition of the Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation and the students End of Year exhibition are being held in the Te Aro campus atrium, 139 Vivian St, until 14 November 2025