Field Guide — Authors and thinkers By Alistair McCready

Design is a term used in such a broad sense. For example; an engineer and a typographer are both considered designers. The word encompasses many outlooks, many outcomes, and many […]

4 years ago by

Idealog partnership — Designer dirt: Why we should invest in our creativity the same way farmers invest in our lands

In collaboration with Idealog (to mark their creativity month), Design Assembly writer and editor Nicole Arnett Phillips argues that creativity is a resource that needs to be nurtured and invested […]

4 years ago by

Summer Reading — Aotearoa Design Thinking 2018

Written by Lana Lopesi Aotearoa Design Thinking has been somewhat of a two year experiment here at Design Assembly testing our ability to write and appetite to read deeper thinking […]

4 years ago by

An exploration of graphic design education – an interview with office-party

Written by Cameron Ralston Supported by Creative New Zealand Cameron Ralston discusses graphic design workshops and moving from education to workforce with Bryn Fenemor and Caitlin Rassie through their project office-party. […]

4 years ago by

Pepeha.nz – An internal kaupapa by Designworks for Aotearoa

This year Designworks undertook a personal studio project and created Pepeha.nz – a website to help all New Zealanders introduce themselves in Te Reo Māori, through pepeha.  Encouraging everyone to learn the stories behind their pepeha and share them with pride.
In this article Anzac Tasker, Design Director at Designworks talks about the project, its intent, the design elements and where it will go from here.

4 years ago by

Riffing Off Walters: the art of distinguishing ourselves

Written by Michael Smythe Supported by Creative New Zealand  Gordon Walters has gifted us a visual language that is capable of representing New Zealand’s bicultural foundation in infinitely variable ways. It […]

5 years ago by

How to work with clients who micro-manage

Written by Sarah Ritchie You’ve created a masterpiece of an event poster for your client. Your client asks you to make the headline bigger, move an item from the bottom […]

5 years ago by

Ask the Experts: What skills do you think will be needed by future designers?

Written by Hollie Arnett Supported by Creative New Zealand There are so many talented creatives with years of combined experience and a variety of skills in the design industry. Since there […]

5 years ago by

The Art and Design of Roy Good, an Interview

Written by Lana Lopesi  Graphic Matters is a monthly column on issues and ideas related to New Zealand Design Culture This is not your first retrospective exhibition at Te Uru, […]

5 years ago by

Ask the Experts: What is the number one piece of advice you have heard about being a designer?

Written by Hollie Arnett Supported by Creative New Zealand There are so many talented creatives with years of combined experience and a variety of skills in the design industry. Since there […]

5 years ago by

Murky Crystal Balls: Graphic Design and Envisioning the Red Zone

Written by Cameron Ralston Supported by Creative New Zealand Ahead of the draft plan for the future of the Christchurch red zone being released, Christchurch citizen Cameron Ralston looks into the […]

5 years ago by

Design Assembly Talks Diversity in Pōneke

Written by Kate McGuinness Diversity in Aotearoa design. Where do we begin? DA’s Spring Conversation series seemed like a good place to kick off the discussion. In Wellington, a receptive […]

5 years ago by

Paddling Together Through “Rugged Terrain”: Design Assembly Talks Diversity

Written by Lana Lopesi  Graphic Matters is a monthly column on issues and ideas related to New Zealand Design Culture  The question around diversity and design has been tearing up […]

5 years ago by

Saving money on print

Written by Sarah Ritchie Your client has come to you saying they have to cut back their print budget, and can you help them? Without a moment’s hesitation you should […]

5 years ago by

Where Creative Opportunities Lie: Arch MacDonnell on Tatau: A History of Sāmoan Tattooing

Written by Lana Lopesi  Graphic Matters is a monthly column on issues and ideas related to New Zealand Design Culture Last month Te Papa released yet another amazing book called […]

5 years ago by

Alternative Routes: An Interview with Katie Kerr

Written by Lana Lopesi Supported by Creative New Zealand Lana Lopesi is the editor of Aotearoa Design Thinking 2018, a series of commissioned critical design essays published by Design Assembly and […]

5 years ago by

A Brush with Design: 10 Designers Dish on Their First Design Encounter — Kaan Hiini

In the lead up to DA’s 10th birthday celebrations in March 2019, A Brush With Design asks 10 designers who have been involved with DA at various times to nostalgically recount their […]

5 years ago by

Ideas on Diversity

Written by Lana Lopesi Supported by Creative New Zealand Lana Lopesi is the editor of Aotearoa Design Thinking 2018, a series of commissioned critical design essays published by Design Assembly and […]

5 years ago by

A Brush with Design: 10 Designers Dish on Their First Design Encounter — Jade Tang-Taylor

In the lead up to DA’s 10th birthday celebrations in March 2019, A Brush With Design asks 10 designers who have been involved with DA at various times to nostalgically recount their […]

5 years ago by

A Few Choice Voices: Different Ways of Talking About Design

Written by K. Emma Ng Supported by Creative New Zealand Emma Ng is a contributor to Aotearoa Design Thinking 2018, a series of commissioned critical design essays published by Design Assembly and […]

5 years ago by

Networks of Exceptionally Creative Women

Written by Lana Lopesi Graphic Matters is a monthly column on issues and ideas related to New Zealand Design Culture Founded in 1980, the Association of Women Artists formed as […]

5 years ago by

An Automatic Introduction to Automata Through Yoobee

Eli Tucker is the Assistant Head of Faculty for Multimedia and also a tutor at Yoobee School of Design in Wellington, New Zealand.  He gives his insight into producing the […]

5 years ago by

Designer and Mum, and Everything In-between

Written by Lana Lopesi Supported by Creative New Zealand Lana Lopesi is the editor of Aotearoa Design Thinking 2018, a series of commissioned critical design essays published by Design Assembly and […]

5 years ago by

PANZ Book Design Awards 2018 Winners

A warm congratulations from Design Assembly to all of the winners of the PANZ Book Design Awards 2018! ThePANZ Book Design Awards 2018 winners are: Gerard Reid Award for Best Book […]

5 years ago by

A Brush with Design: 10 Designers Dish on Their First Design Encounter — Lindsay Yee

In the lead up to DA’s 10th birthday celebrations in March 2019, A Brush With Design asks 10 designers who have been involved with DA at various times to nostalgically recount their […]

5 years ago by