Professor Derek Kawiti

Principal Investigator

Mātauranga Māori Research Programme

Phone:

+64 4 463 6057

Address:
Victoria University of Wellington
Room 3.09
139 Vivian Street
Te Aro Campus
Wellington

• 
• derek.kawiti@vuw.ac.nz

Biography

Derek is a Professor of Architecture specialising in Māori Designed Environments and the application of contemporary manufacturing technologies in architecture. An expert and teacher in advanced digital tools (generative software) and robotics, he heads SITUA (Site of Indigenous Technologies Understanding Alliance), Indigenous Material Domains (IMD) and Corporate Spheres ‐ Indigenous Workspaces, all Masters level research labs. The labs play a significant role in the ‘re‐indigenising’ of architectural knowledge through a renewed exploration of customary methods of spatial organisation (tikanga/kawa), engineered structures, Māori geometries and materials utilising
computation and digital fabrication. Derek is also a Principal Investigator for the MacDiarmid Institute and is a researcher with the Robinson Space Program.

As an architectural practitioner Derek is a director of interdisciplinary architectural design firm, CILOARC, and is an associate director at Peddle Thorp Architects in Auckland where he is cultural and digital lead on a range of civic and government projects. He has more than 25 years’ experience in both commercial and domestic scale architecture having worked in both New Zealand and international practice environments including London, the Caribbean and Italy. He has extensive experience as a cultural strategist and design advisor to major companies in the building industry and works with various architectural practices both locally and internationally on project bid
strategy.