2021 NZILA Firth Conference
Tauranga Moana | 6-7 May 2021
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To view Speaker Videos click here.
For the NZILA President Henry Crothers, the NZILA Firth Conference hit the mark for many reasons. He feels the nine month Covid induced delay for the Tauranga Moana event meant delegates were keen to reconnect and re-engage with a gathering and with each other.
Henry says the conference felt like it “punched above its weight “ and the speakers were “thought provoking and topical around the theme '“Radical Reorientation Te Rangitāmiro.”
He also believes the theme was especially appropriate given current national discussion around issues like decolonisation and climate change and how design can respond to these issues.
“The discussions highlight the opportunities we have as landscape architects to understand those issues and how we can contribute to solutions given the breadth of the work we do.”
Theme: Radical Reorientation Te Rangitāmiro
Tauranga 2021, Radical Reorientation Te Rangitāmiro is a continuation of the themes that were discussed both at Auckland 2018 and Christchurch 2019. It is an opportunity to hear thought-provoking ideas and experiences from leaders and collaborators involved in issues impacting the present and future of Aotearoa's landscape. Across the sub-themes Collaboration, Commons and Governance, the wānanga precipitates the question of practice towards renewed possibilities that circulate with the intent of adaptation. This focus is catalysed by the need to grapple with shifting demands upon the discipline of landscape architecture brought into play with climate change and postcoloniality in the particular context of Aotearoa. The wānanga will generate much needed sharing of knowledge to support the continued development of landscape practices for the benefit of NZILA members and those with critical interest in the landscape field.
Radical Reorientation Te Rangitāmiro requires a community to collaborate. Transitioning to a low carbon future, resource management and distribution, open source (knowledge sharing/collaboration) and local (building/strengthening community). How do we radically re-orientate as a professional community to enable, encourage and support this transition?