5 minutes with Emma Kaniuk

Ahead of Autumn Conversations: Design & Discovery in Tāmaki Makaurau on 1 May, we sat down with one of our featured speakers, Emma Kaniuk. Register for your ticket to attend the event here.

This season we’re discussing what happens when you have the freedom to play, make and discover without client or commercial boundaries. Our speakers will share the stories behind their side projects, hobbies or community involvement that have led them to transformative discoveries.

Join us at the 2025 Design Assembly Autumn Conversations events taking place across Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.

Kia ora Emma. Can you share a bit about your background and your day job?

I grew up in the suburban outskirts of West Auckland; my paternal grandparents immigrated here from Poland after WW2, and my maternal great-grandparents are from England and Scotland. I grew up the lower end of middle class, in a family that devoted a lot of time reading, baking, sewing, gardening, or hiking—we spent a lot of time at home, just the five of us. Much of the family knowledge passed down has been that of making.

I studied a bachelor of visual communication at Unitec School of Technology, and upon graduation I worked at Designworks in Tāmaki Makaurau, first as a fellowship recipient, then as a designer. Next, I worked with Special Group here, and in Sydney, as a design director, before founding the (now closed) design studio Akin with Tana Mitchell. Last year we both decided to pursue different things, and I am now a solo creative director. Day-to-day it’s a hybrid of leading a decentralised, globally-located team across a range of direct-to-client projects, as well as working freelance with existing design teams. At the moment my work spans the fields of publishing, art, biotech, finance, short films and social change, amongst others.

What led you to pursue a career in Design?

I originally wanted to be an architect! But I struggled with the maths and technical side of my architectural drawing classes at high school. In my last years of school I swapped over to a newly formed design class, run by one of my favourite high school teachers, Naomi Bell. I enjoyed the mix of creativity and systems problem solving of the assignments.

I tossed a coin on studying design or a conjoint BA/BCom at Auckland University where many of my high school friends were headed to. I’m happy how things turned out.

Outside of commercial briefs and projects, what do you believe the purpose or role of design is and could be in the future?

Creating and nurturing deep connections between people.

If you could remove all limitations—time, budget, expectations—what would be the next thing you’d create purely for yourself or the world or a community?

I feel like right now we can see all too painfully what removing limitations and budget caps does for individuals, and it’s not great for people, nor the world. So maybe I’d reframe this question to ask what might happen if everyone had more financial/housing/food stability, and access to time to explore non-commercial interests. There is so much joy in being able to give, and receive, in ways that have nothing to do with money. I’m thinking about setting up a design residency.

Ahead of the Autumn Conversations Tāmaki Makaurau event coming up on 1 May, can you give us a teaser into the project/topic you’ll be presenting?

With full license to change my mind on whim, and last minute… the two side projects that come to mind are Tradespeople: a directory of women and gender diverse people in the trades; or Emma Makes, a preserving project that involved backyard fruit tree swaps and many cups of tea. I invested a lot of time into both of these projects, and now both are on hiatus, as I figure out my next steps. So join me as I reflect back on them, and what is next.

Lastly, what’s the best way for folks to see more of your work and connect with you?

IRL! Coffee? Wine? For (slightly more) regular updates, IG @emmakaniuk.studio; or for some fun infinite scrolling my website: emmakaniuk.com. I’m speaking at The Design Conference in Brisbane in June, so if you can make it, I’d love to see you there.