Transition design, urban spatial design, biophilic design

As an interpreter for local governments, property trusts, and individual actors to design for themselves. We know we need to evolve how we see and develop, but don't know "what that means, here". resulting in a too-big gap between the intentions of written "strategies" and local implementation/action. Ambiguity leads to default status-quo and budget-led decisions. I have begun to interpret what regenerative design (and all our other imperative lenses) can mean in my specific place, and other places. I do this in boardroom conversations, in hīkoi (the best), and through visuals -- sketched, digital, and/or immersive.

I am always open-minded when I accept a design problem, but my bias shines through here!
I want to help communities and decision makers see that urban space can be hotspots of biodiversity recovery, like they can be hotspots for predator control.
I want to promote and practice 'whakapapa eyes' for seeing 'urban' space as not distinct, but connected into a cultural landscape.

I'm inside the arenas now -- developing indigenous knowledge and ways of seeing, regenerative design knowledge to reflect these principles, and in visual skills as an immersive and unifying language.

My design career has been taking a turn from predominantly graphic/brand design toward spatial/biophilic/regenerative design. Where I used to think about "brand integrity", I think about "place integrity" now. My real skill -- robust design process -- is at the heart of it all, this has not changed.

I have initiated several development projects over the years of bringing up two tamariki in my small town -- In 2015 I co-founded Fab Lab Masterton by teaming up with then local Green candidate John Hart. It continues, and is a vehicle for explaining & re-explaining to local leaders the broken picture of access to the tools and connectedness that can redefine our world, according to localised needs and values.
Over the last 12 years, my partner and I established an urban biodiversity corridor through a former gasworks site and private properties. It is now self-perpetuating naturally and supported by "the system". This is an ongoing passion. I have teamed up with a local citizen scientist, mana whenua, our local museum, and local government to create a shareable map of Whakaoriori Masterton's awa network. This is illuminating long-buried knowledge for our community and leaders.
I recently returned to university to complete a Master of Design with a place-based design investigation, "who is Whakaoriori Masterton?" and, (inspired by Regenesis), exploring new spatial design techniques for envisioning 'stories of place'.

The discipline of design.
The power of symbology, of incongruous juxtaposition, of irreverence and its intersection with deadly seriousness.
Sport as an art and analogy for life.
Aotearoa indigenous mātauranga, whakapapa.
The artist Hundertwasser.
Santa Fe's best Mexican politician Bill Richardson.

Whakapapa - the connectedness and interdependence of everything.
Koha - mana enhancing reciprocity between everything.
Most humans ain't there (yet), but in pockets we're beginning to listen.